The combined effect of decreased stomatal density and aperture increases water use efficiency in maize
Abstract Stomata play a crucial role in balancing carbon dioxide uptake and water vapor loss, thereby regulating plant water use efficiency (WUE). Enhancing WUE is important for sustainable agriculture and food security, particularly for crops such as maize (Zea mays L.), as climate change and growi...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Portfolio
2025-04-01
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| Series: | Scientific Reports |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-94833-1 |
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| author | Larissa Barl Betina Debastiani Benato Nikita Genze Dominik G. Grimm Michael Gigl Corinna Dawid Chris-Carolin Schön Viktoriya Avramova |
| author_facet | Larissa Barl Betina Debastiani Benato Nikita Genze Dominik G. Grimm Michael Gigl Corinna Dawid Chris-Carolin Schön Viktoriya Avramova |
| author_sort | Larissa Barl |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Stomata play a crucial role in balancing carbon dioxide uptake and water vapor loss, thereby regulating plant water use efficiency (WUE). Enhancing WUE is important for sustainable agriculture and food security, particularly for crops such as maize (Zea mays L.), as climate change and growing global food demand exacerbate limitations on water availability. Genetic factors controlling stomatal density and levels of the plant hormone abscisic acid (ABA) in leaves, which affect stomatal aperture, are key determinants of stomatal conductance (gs) and intrinsic WUE (iWUE). In this study, we demonstrate that stomatal density and stomatal aperture have a combined effect on gs and iWUE in maize. Using near-isogenic lines (NILs) and CRISPR/Cas9 mutants, we show that combining reduced stomatal density and reduced stomatal aperture can improve iWUE without compromising photosynthesis. This effect is pronounced at both, optimal and high temperatures. These findings highlight the potential of targeting multiple stomatal traits through genetic stacking to enhance WUE, offering a promising strategy for crop adaptation to water-limited environments. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-4352f5fd28e9461b95f9d304b8a8004f |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-04-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj-art-4352f5fd28e9461b95f9d304b8a8004f2025-08-20T03:14:10ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-04-0115111110.1038/s41598-025-94833-1The combined effect of decreased stomatal density and aperture increases water use efficiency in maizeLarissa Barl0Betina Debastiani Benato1Nikita Genze2Dominik G. Grimm3Michael Gigl4Corinna Dawid5Chris-Carolin Schön6Viktoriya Avramova7Plant Breeding, TUM School of Life Sciences, Technical University of MunichPlant Breeding, TUM School of Life Sciences, Technical University of MunichBioinformatics, TUM Campus Straubing for Biotechnology and Sustainability, Technical University of MunichBioinformatics, TUM Campus Straubing for Biotechnology and Sustainability, Technical University of MunichFunctional Phytometabolomics, TUM School of Life Sciences, Technical University of MunichFunctional Phytometabolomics, TUM School of Life Sciences, Technical University of MunichPlant Breeding, TUM School of Life Sciences, Technical University of MunichPlant Breeding, TUM School of Life Sciences, Technical University of MunichAbstract Stomata play a crucial role in balancing carbon dioxide uptake and water vapor loss, thereby regulating plant water use efficiency (WUE). Enhancing WUE is important for sustainable agriculture and food security, particularly for crops such as maize (Zea mays L.), as climate change and growing global food demand exacerbate limitations on water availability. Genetic factors controlling stomatal density and levels of the plant hormone abscisic acid (ABA) in leaves, which affect stomatal aperture, are key determinants of stomatal conductance (gs) and intrinsic WUE (iWUE). In this study, we demonstrate that stomatal density and stomatal aperture have a combined effect on gs and iWUE in maize. Using near-isogenic lines (NILs) and CRISPR/Cas9 mutants, we show that combining reduced stomatal density and reduced stomatal aperture can improve iWUE without compromising photosynthesis. This effect is pronounced at both, optimal and high temperatures. These findings highlight the potential of targeting multiple stomatal traits through genetic stacking to enhance WUE, offering a promising strategy for crop adaptation to water-limited environments.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-94833-1 |
| spellingShingle | Larissa Barl Betina Debastiani Benato Nikita Genze Dominik G. Grimm Michael Gigl Corinna Dawid Chris-Carolin Schön Viktoriya Avramova The combined effect of decreased stomatal density and aperture increases water use efficiency in maize Scientific Reports |
| title | The combined effect of decreased stomatal density and aperture increases water use efficiency in maize |
| title_full | The combined effect of decreased stomatal density and aperture increases water use efficiency in maize |
| title_fullStr | The combined effect of decreased stomatal density and aperture increases water use efficiency in maize |
| title_full_unstemmed | The combined effect of decreased stomatal density and aperture increases water use efficiency in maize |
| title_short | The combined effect of decreased stomatal density and aperture increases water use efficiency in maize |
| title_sort | combined effect of decreased stomatal density and aperture increases water use efficiency in maize |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-94833-1 |
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