[O44] Root Genetics and Breeding

[O44-03] Genome-Wide Association (GWA) Mapping of Selected Philippine Rice Germplasm for Root Plasticity Alleles

(Invited Speaker)

Patrick Louie Lipio¹, ^○Jonathan Manito Niones², Antoinette Cruz³, Desiree Hautea¹, Roel Rodriguez Suralta³, Nonawin Lucob-Agustin², Maria Corazon Cabral² (1.Institute of Plant Breeding, University of the Philippines-Los Baños, Philippines, 2.Genetic Resources Division, Philippine Rice Research Institute, Philippines, 3.Crop Biotechnology Center, Philippine Rice Research Institute, Philippines)

The identified novel root plasticity alleles can potentially be utilized in future rice breeding program for developing climate change resilient varieties. The genome wide association analysis was conducted on a selected panel of traditional varieties, previously characterized for root morphology under soil moisture stress. The result showed 17 correlated SNPs located in Chromosomes 2, 5, 7, 9 and 12, related to the root growth under soil moisture stress conditions. Rootbox phenotyping validated the accessions with promising root plasticity traits on Chromosome 2 region, which involved in the promotion of L-type lateral root development under fluctuating soil moisture stress. The accession Baksalan Kawalwal showed a 99% increase in L-type lateral root length under fluctuating soil moistures, relative to their continuously waterlogged counterparts. Moreover, there was a significant interaction between genotype and water treatment on L-type lateral roots. A member of PYR_PYL_RCAR_like protein family, for possible protein domains located near the QTL was identified. This protein involved in lateral root growth and drought tolerance in Arabidopsis thaliana, and whose orthologues in rice are also involved in drought and cold tolerance.