BBSRC Core Strategic Programme in Resilient Crops: Oats

The UK produces ~750kt of oats annually with the majority milled for human use, with significant exports of processed oats. The uptake of oat products has been boosted as a result of approved claims for beneficial roles in the human diet due to its grain composition. Health benefits range from satiety effects to reduction in blood cholesterol and improvements in gastrointestinal tract performance. The major strength and focus of IBERS oat research lies in development and exploitation of genetic resources. High throughput genotyping and genomics resources now allow us to characterise this material thoroughly, both to understand the genetic basis of phenotypes and to develop prediction models based on genotypes. In this project we will progress from characterisation of genes with major effects on phenotype (dwarf, flowering time) to more complex traits (in particular, yield components and grain quality). We will use sophisticated phenotyping methods in controlled environments (NPPC) and field scale experiments. Where applicable we will translate research from wheat and rice to identify conserved developmental pathways. Despite areas of similarity (temperate polyploid for wheat, panicle architecture for rice), the distinct evolutionary and domestication histories of oat, with its secondary crop origin, are expected to be reflected in capabilities such as resource use efficiency and plasticity. The origin and regulation of agronomically important 'oat specific' traits such as ß-glucan and antioxidant (avenanthramide) content are of particular interest.
The programme has 5 areas of work: 1. Genome function and organisation. We will work with international partners to generate annotated oat reference genomes. We will integrate the genomics data with our candidate gene discovery platform, which is based on a diverse spring oat NAM population. Detailed phenotyping of the population will enable identification of candidate loci for agronomic traits including yield components. Resequencing of other key accessions will identify regions of high and low diversity corresponding to targets of selection during domestication and cultivation, and will provide information on the hexaploid pan-genome to improve access to useful genetic variation. 2. Plant architecture, partitioning and phenology. We will dissect yield components including the role of grain weight and number and tiller formation on both grain yield and grain quality using a series of QTL-NILs we have created where contrasting haplotypes for specific major QTL have been fixed in common winter oat genetic backgrounds. The impact of flowering time and rate of senescence will be examined in order to establish desirable ideotypes for different environments. A particular focus will be the role of root architecture on crop function and in particular the effect of the dwarfing gene Dw6. 3. Interaction of Genotype with the environment. We will dissect GxE effects across accessions in order to improve yield stability and to mitigate against variability in grain quality. Selected QTL-NILs will also be used to examine the impact of variation in a single trait on response to environmental challenges in field and phenomics settings. We will identify parameters underlying this difference and dissect the underlying mechanisms and genetic control. We will improve understanding of the effect of GxE on ß-glucan content by investigating its effect on the molecular structure of ß -glucan and other grain constituents. 4. Prediction of performance. Data from above will be integrated to identify the most informative allele combinations for prediction of yield and quality. Markers associated with phenotypes will be sought and candidate genes identified wherever possible to build models of relevant processes. 5. Improve germplasm access. Very large collections of oat landraces and wild relatives were made before 1945, preserving much of the diversity that may otherwise have been lost during intensive breeding. Linkage drag and the inefficiencies of conventional breeding have restricted use of this material, which can now be revisited with new high throughput genotyping and phenotyping. We will work with international partners to identify underused germplasm which may improve adaptation to particular environments or enhance novel traits.