Ideotype design and genetic

variation for traits determining

biomass and yield in elite material

Roxana Savin & Gustavo A. Slafer

Modifying canopy architecture and photosynthesis to maximize barley biomass and yield for different end-uses

Kick-off Meeting12-13 May 2016 Fiorenzuola d’ArdaTask 3.1: Ideotype design (P3 + P2, P4)

Easy way

Gustavo A. Slafer

Hard way

Make a “wish list” of traits that we reckon shall be beneficial for increasing biomass

Find evidences in the literature to support (at least circumstantially) each of them

Develop a concept and test the strength

We can do this quickly (even today)

We may do this within 1-2 months

Although perhaps reasonably sound, highly speculative (and we may learn nothing)

It will be a significant effortHopefully proven to be sound (and we will learn new things)

I will focus on suggesting this approach, but happy to go the other way – should you prefer it

Gustavo A. Slafer

Task 3.1: Ideotype design (P3 + P2, P4) Duration: Month 1 (April 2016) – Month 15 (June 2017)

• Bottom-up: choose sound basic traits, search for evidences that these traits would

upscale to the crop level of organization and impact on biomass and yield

Proposal of progress towards designing the ideotype(s)

combination of barley traits conducive to improved biomass (and yield)

How to get there?

Gustavo A. Slafer

Task 3.1: Ideotype design (P3 + P2, P4) Duration: Month 1 (April 2016) – Month 15 (June 2017)

Proposal of progress towards designing the ideotype(s)

• Bottom-up: choose sound basic traits,

search for evidences that these traits would

upscale to the crop level of organization

and impact on biomass and yield

combination of barley traits conducive to improved biomass (and yield)

Crop

physiology

Pro

du

cti

vit

y

Gra

in q

ua

lity

?

Linear reasoning is not

directly acceptable.

We must be certain of

the level of dependence

of the trait on the scale

• Bottom-up: choose sound basic traits, search for evidences that these traits would

upscale to the crop level of organization and impact on biomass and yield

How to get there?

A proof of concept of the difficulties of upscaling is the frequent lack of relationship between yield of a plant and yield of a crop of the same genotype!!

X

Gustavo A. Slafer

Task 3.1: Ideotype design (P3 + P2, P4) Duration: Month 1 (April 2016) – Month 15 (June 2017)

Proposal of progress towards designing the ideotype(s)

combination of barley traits conducive to improved biomass (and yield)

• Top-down approach: building up a conceptual scheme based on sound crop-

physiological model of biomass and yield determination in field conditions.

• Bottom-up: choose sound basic traits, search for evidences that these traits would

upscale to the crop level of organization and impact on biomass and yield

How to get there?

Biomass (Mg ha-1)Yield (Mg ha-1)

?

commitment within BarPlus

Gustavo A. Slafer

Task 3.1: Ideotype design (P3 + P2, P4) Duration: Month 1 (April 2016) – Month 15 (June 2017)

1. To build up a conceptual scheme (a crop-physiological, agronomic sound, model) of

biomass and yield determination in field conditions.

Biomass (Mg ha-1)

Accumulated intercepted

radiation (MJ m-2)

RUE (g MJ-1)

Leaf area index

Leaf and tiller appearance

Leaf expansion

Harvest index

Yield (Mg ha-1)

Light attenuation coefficient

Gustavo A. Slafer

Task 3.1: Ideotype design (P3 + P2, P4) Duration: Month 1 (April 2016) – Month 15 (June 2017)

1. To build up a conceptual scheme (a crop-physiological, agronomic sound, model) of

biomass and yield determination in field conditions.

2. This scheme will

(i) describe critical traits for yield and

biomass,

Thermal time (ºC d)

Lea

f n

um

ber

Leaf number

Til

lers

m-2

Leaf number

LA

I

Biomass (Mg ha-1)

Accumulated intercepted

radiation (MJ m-2)

RUE (g MJ-1)

Leaf area index

Leaf and tiller appearance

Leaf expansion

Harvest index

Yield (Mg ha-1)

Light attenuation coefficient

LAI

%R

i

Accum. Ri

Bio

ma

ssY

ield

Biomass

Leaf angles (erectness)

Leaf photosynthesis

Early vigour

Heading date

Gustavo A. Slafer

Task 3.1: Ideotype design (P3 + P2, P4) Duration: Month 1 (April 2016) – Month 15 (June 2017)

(ii) quantify genetic variation

available for each relevant trait

2. This scheme will

(i) describe critical traits for yield and

biomass,

1. To build up a conceptual scheme (a crop-physiological, agronomic sound, model) of

biomass and yield determination in field conditions.

Thermal time (ºC d)

Lea

f n

um

ber

Leaf number

Til

lers

m-2

Leaf number

LA

I

Biomass (Mg ha-1)

Accumulated intercepted

radiation (MJ m-2)

RUE (g MJ-1)

Leaf area index

Leaf and tiller appearance

Leaf expansion

Harvest index

Yield (Mg ha-1)

Light attenuation coefficient

LAI

%R

i

Accum. Ri

Bio

ma

ssY

ield

Biomass

Leaf angles (erectness)

Leaf photosynthesis

Early vigour

Heading date

Gustavo A. Slafer

Task 3.1: Ideotype design (P3 + P2, P4) Duration: Month 1 (April 2016) – Month 15 (June 2017)

(ii) quantify genetic variation

available for each relevant trait

2. This scheme will

(i) describe critical traits for yield and

biomass,

1. To build up a conceptual scheme (a crop-physiological, agronomic sound, model) of

biomass and yield determination in field conditions.

Thermal time (ºC d)

Lea

f n

um

ber

Leaf number

Til

lers

m-2

Leaf number

LA

I

Biomass (Mg ha-1)

Accumulated intercepted

radiation (MJ m-2)

RUE (g MJ-1)

Leaf area index

Leaf and tiller appearance

Leaf expansion

Harvest index

Yield (Mg ha-1)

Light attenuation coefficient

LAI

%R

i

Accum. Ri

Bio

ma

ssY

ield

Biomass

Leaf angles (erectness)

Leaf photosynthesis

Early vigour

Heading date

(iii) establish relationships

between these traits

exploring and highlighting

likely trade-offs

Gustavo A. Slafer

Task 3.1: Ideotype design (P3 + P2, P4) Duration: Month 1 (April 2016) – Month 15 (June 2017)

(ii) quantify genetic variation

available for each relevant trait

2. This scheme will

(i) describe critical traits for yield and

biomass,

1. To build up a conceptual scheme (a crop-physiological, agronomic sound, model) of

biomass and yield determination in field conditions.

Thermal time (ºC d)

Lea

f n

um

ber

Leaf number

Til

lers

m-2

Leaf number

LA

I

Biomass (Mg ha-1)

Accumulated intercepted

radiation (MJ m-2)

RUE (g MJ-1)

Leaf area index

Leaf and tiller appearance

Leaf expansion

Harvest index

Yield (Mg ha-1)

Light attenuation coefficient

LAI

%R

i

Accum. Ri

Bio

ma

ssY

ield

Biomass

Leaf angles (erectness)

Leaf photosynthesis

Early vigour

Heading date

(iii) establish relationships

between these traits

considering interactions with

N and water

Gustavo A. Slafer

Task 3.1: Ideotype design (P3 + P2, P4) Duration: Month 1 (April 2016) – Month 15 (June 2017)

(ii) quantify genetic variation

available for each relevant trait

2. This scheme will

(i) describe critical traits for yield and

biomass,

1. To build up a conceptual scheme (a crop-physiological, agronomic sound, model) of

biomass and yield determination in field conditions.

Thermal time (ºC d)

Lea

f n

um

ber

Leaf number

Til

lers

m-2

Leaf number

LA

I

Biomass (Mg ha-1)

Accumulated intercepted

radiation (MJ m-2)

RUE (g MJ-1)

Leaf area index

Leaf and tiller appearance

Leaf expansion

Harvest index

Yield (Mg ha-1)

Light attenuation coefficient

LAI

%R

i

Accum. Ri

Bio

ma

ssY

ield

Biomass

Leaf angles (erectness)

Leaf photosynthesis

Early vigour

Heading date

(iii) establish relationships

between these traits

considering particular

targeted growing conditions.

Some traits may be of

universal value

Other traits may be relevant

in some envs but not in

others…

Thermal time (ºC d)

Lea

f num

ber

Leaf number

Til

lers

m-2

Leaf number

LA

I

Biomass (Mg ha-1)

Accumulated intercepted radiation

(MJ m-2)

RUE (g MJ-1)

Leaf area index

Leaf and tiller appearance

Leaf expansion

Harvest index

Yield (Mg ha-1)

Light attenuation coefficient

LAI%

Ri

Accum. Ri

Bio

ma

ssY

ield

Biomass

Leaf angles (erectness)

Leaf photosynthesis

Early vigour

Heading date

Biomass accumulation (during the stem elongation phase)

Spik

e D

Wt

m-2

Biomass

Spike Dry Weight m-2

(anthesis)Spike DWt m-2

Gra

ins

m-2

Grains m-2

(maturity)Grains m-2Y

ield

Onset of stem

growthPartitioning to spikes

Discussion on how it combines

with parallel sound models

Gustavo A. Slafer

A review of the literature based on top-down approaches of biomass (and yield) determination

Crop-physiological, agronomic sound, model hypothesized

Meta-analysis of the literature published data carried out to• test the strength of the model• determine the traits more frequently/strongly affecting

biomass

How to reach the proposed ideotype on time?

Task 3.1: Ideotype design (P3 + P2, P4) Duration: Month 1 (April 2016) – Month 15 (June 2017)

Publish the ideotype proposed and the meta-analysis supporting it

Gustavo A. Slafer

A review of the literature based on top-down approaches of biomass (and yield) determination

Crop-physiological, agronomic sound, model hypothesized

Meta-analysis of the literature published data carried out to• test the strength of the model• determine the traits more frequently/strongly affecting

biomass

Adapt/Calibrate simulations models to capture these trait effects

Run simulations under wide range of conditions to assess the predicted value of improving these traits

How to reach the proposed ideotype on time?

Task 3.1: Ideotype design (P3 + P2, P4) Duration: Month 1 (April 2016) – Month 15 (June 2017)

Publish the ideotype proposed and the meta-analysis supporting it

Publish the adapted/calibrated model and the outcome of the consequences of breeding such ideotype

Gustavo A. Slafer