Bionote
Lukas Krusenbaum is a PhD candidate with Prof. Dr. Matthias Wissuwa within the PhenoRob Cluster of Excellence at the University of Bonn. He earned his M.Sc. in Plant Breeding and Seed Science from the University of Hohenheim in 2022. His research focus is on gene bank phenomics of rice using quantitative genetics.
Presentation Abstract
Crop root system traits are related to abiotic stress tolerance such as nutrient deficiency. Altering root architecture through breeding might therefore improve yields under low input conditions. However, phenotyping root system traits, especially under field conditions, is challenging. Therefore, searching donor lines for beneficial root system traits among gene bank accessions poses a challenge as these populations are usually too large to phenotype. Genomic prediction (GP) is a tool to predict genetic values for a given trait solely based on marker data. For Rice, a specific class of lateral roots containing only a single layer of cortex has been linked to efficiency in phosphate uptake. In our work, we are using GP models to predict large populations of gene bank accessions for root architectural traits, focusing on lateral branching patterns. We calibrated our models on data both from hydroponic systems and low input field conditions in the highlands of Madagascar. Our work enables the screening of large genetic resources stored in ex situ gene banks for root traits to select donors for rice breeding.
Co-Authors: Ashlyn Raidin, Matthias Wissuwa