GA-sensitive Rht13 gene improves root architecture and osmotic stress tolerance in bread wheat

Muhammad Arslan Khalid; Zulfiqar Ali; Latifa Al Husnain; Sajid Fiaz; Muhammad Abu Bakar Saddique; Sabah Merrium; Kotb A Attia; Sezai Ercisli; Rashid Iqbal

doi:10.1186/s12863-024-01272-4

GA-sensitive Rht13 gene improves root architecture and osmotic stress tolerance in bread wheat

BMC Genom Data. 2024 Oct 24;25(1):90. doi: 10.1186/s12863-024-01272-4.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Institute of Plant Breeding and Biotechnology, MNS University of Agriculture, Multan, 66000, Pakistan.
² Programs and Projects Department, Islamic Organization for Food Security, Astana, 019900, Kazakhstan. zulfiqarpbg@hotmail.com.
³ Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Faisalabad, 38000, Pakistan. zulfiqarpbg@hotmail.com.
⁴ Department of Biology, College of Science, Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, P.O. Box 84428, Riyadh, 11671, Saudi Arabia.
⁵ Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, The University of Lahore, Lahore, 54590, Pakistan. sajidfiaz50@yahoo.com.
⁶ Center of Excellence in Biotechnology Research, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2455, Riyadh, 11451, Saudi Arabia.
⁷ Department of Horticulture, Faculty of Agriculture, Ataturk University, Erzurum, 25240, Turkey.
⁸ Department of Agronomy, Faculty of Agriculture and Environment, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Bahawalpur, 63100, Pakistan.
⁹ Department of Life Sciences, Western Caspian University, Baku, Azerbaijan.

Abstract

The root architecture, more seminal roots, and Deeper roots help the plants to uptake the resources from the deeper soil layer to ensure better growth. The Gibberellic acid-sensitive (GA-sensitive) Rht genes are well known for increasing drought tolerance in wheat. Much work has been performed on the effect of these genes on the plant agronomic traits and little work has been done on the effect of Rht genes on seminal roots and root architecture. This study was designed to evaluate 200 wheat genotypes under normal and osmotic stress. The genotypes were sown in the solution culture and laid under CRD factorial arrangement with three replications and two factors i.e., genotypes and treatments viz. normal and osmotic stress (20% PEG-6000) applied one week after germination. The data was recorded for the root traits. Results demonstrated that out of 200 genotypes, the GA-sensitive Rht13 gene was amplified in 21 genotypes with a fragment length of 1089 bp. In comparison, the GA-insensitive Rht1 gene was amplified in 24 genotypes with a band size of 228 bp. From 200 wheat genotypes, 122 genotypes produced 5 seminal roots, 4 genotypes 4 seminal roots, and 74 genotypes 3 seminal roots. The genotypes G-3 (EBW11TALL#1/WESTONIA-Rht5//QUAIU#1), G-6 (EBW01TALL#1/SILVERSTAR-Rht13B//ROLF07) and G-8 (EBW01TALL#1/SILVERSTAR-Rht13B//NAVJ07) produced 5 seminal roots and have longer coleoptile (> 4.0 cm), root (> 11.0 cm) and shoot (> 17 cm) under normal and osmotic stress. Furthermore, Ujala 16, Galaxy-13, and Fareed-06 produced 3 seminal roots and have short coleoptile (< 3 cm), root (< 9.0 cm) and shoot (< 10.0 cm). These results showed that the genotypes showing the presence of GA-sensitive Rht genes produced a greater number of seminal roots, increased root/shoot growth, and osmotic stress tolerance compared to the genotypes having GA-insensitive Rht genes. Thus, the Rht13 gene improved the root architecture which will help to uptake the nutrients from deeper soil layers. Utilization of Rht13 in wheat breeding has the potential to improve osmotic stress tolerance in wheat.

Keywords: Breeding; Drought; Dwarfing genes; Grain yield; Osmotic stress; Root architecture.

MeSH terms

Genes, Plant
Genotype*
Gibberellins* / metabolism
Gibberellins* / pharmacology
Osmotic Pressure*
Plant Proteins / genetics
Plant Roots* / drug effects
Plant Roots* / genetics
Plant Roots* / growth & development
Triticum* / genetics

Substances

Gibberellins
gibberellic acid
Plant Proteins