Tightening the phosphorus cycle for grain legumes

利用具有不同遗传背景的鹰嘴豆、大豆和花生的独特核心种质，本项目旨在从形态、生理、生化和分子水平揭示三种主要豆类作物高磷利用效率(PUE)的机制。降低种子中的磷和植酸盐水平将改善人类和牲畜的种子质量，并大幅减少磷肥投入。识别与高PUE相关的性状和基因将允许利用分子育种方法将关键性状转移到商业品种中。PUE提高的品种将减少磷肥投入和农业系统径流中磷酸盐的损失。

Using unique core collections of chickpea, soybean and peanut with diverse genetic backgrounds, this project aims to unravel the mechanisms underlying high phosphorus-use efficiency (PUE) at morphological, physiological, biochemical and molecular levels in three major legume crops. Reduced levels of phosphorus and phytate in seeds will improve seed quality for humans and livestock and dramatically reduce phosphorus-fertiliser inputs. The identification of traits and genes associated with high PUE will allow transfer of key traits into commercial cultivars using molecular breeding approaches. Cultivars with improved PUE will enable reduced phosphate fertiliser input and loss of phosphate in runoff from agricultural systems.