NRC-UKRI Pilot Programme. Prototyping Root System Architecture in Avena: Technologies for Environmental Sustainability and Food Security

这项试点研究汇集了英国和加拿大独特的互补专业知识，用于优化种质开发中的根表型平台。该项目将评估根系表型管道，最终目标是将根系结构差异与田间农艺表现联系起来。新的高通量表型分析方法的实施将使具有根系结构的品种的开发成为可能，这些品种在一系列气候条件下提供产量弹性-有利于农业和全球粮食安全。直到最近，作物改良一直集中在地上生物量的积累和分配上。通过更有效地将资源分配给根系结构来提高作物产量的恢复力尚未得到详细探讨，这对于有效吸收和利用水和养分至关重要。随着全世界对粮食安全和环境的关注，人们对作物资源多样化的兴趣重新燃起。燕麦是一种替代谷物，可用于集约化轮作，增加作物多样性。燕麦是一种高蛋白谷物作物，具有显著的健康益处，包括膳食纤维，抗氧化剂和微量营养素的来源。在加拿大，为满足作物蛋白质创新和增值加工技术的需要，成立了加拿大蛋白质工业超级集群，加拿大蛋白质工业以燕麦的增长为目标。在英国，过去10年中，由于燕麦被证明对健康有益，对燕麦的需求量增加了30%以上。这推动了对燕麦产量形成的更好理解的研究，以及使用先进的表型和基因型技术开发上级种质的研究。根系构型（RSA）定义了根系的形状和空间排列。该项目的目的是优化和利用精确的根表型技术，以确定燕麦物种的重要根和RSA性状的多样性。这些将与在英国和英国试验中的田间表现有关。和加拿大此外，我们将应用适当的基因组技术开始了解RSA的遗传学。

This pilot study brings together unique, complementary expertise in the UK and Canada for the optimization of root phenotyping platforms in germplasm development. The project will assess root phenotyping pipelines with the ultimate aim of relating differences in root architecture to field agronomic performance. The implementation of new high throughput phenotyping methods will enable the development of varieties with root architectures that provide yield resilience under a range of climates - benefiting the farming industry and global food security. Crop improvement has until recently focussed on above-ground biomass accumulation and partitioning. Improving the resilience of crop yields through the more efficient allocation of resources to root system architecture has not been explored in as much detail and is fundamental for efficient uptake and utilization of water and nutrients. Renewed interest in diversifying our crop resources has developed as the world focuses on food security and the environment. Oats are an alternative cereal for intensive arable rotations increasing crop diversity. Oats are a high-protein cereal crop with significant health benefits including a source of dietary fiber, antioxidants, and micronutrients. In Canada, the Protein Industries Canada (PIC) supercluster has formed to address the need for crop protein innovation and value-added processing technologies and PIC has targeted growth in oats. In the UK, demand for oats for food use has risen by over 30% in the past 10 years due to its proven health benefits. This has driven research into developing an improved understanding of yield formation in oats and in developing superior germplasm using advanced phenotyping and genotyping techniques. Root system architecture (RSA) defines the shape and spatial arrangement of the root system. The intent of the project is to optimize and utilize precision root phenotyping technologies to identify diversity in important root and RSA traits in oat species. These will be related to field performance in trials in both the U.K. and Canada. In addition, we will apply appropriate genomic technologies to begin to understand the genetics of RSA.