Association mapping for root system architecture under varying levels of phosphorus application in Brassica juncea L. Czern & Coss

Abstract Background Low phosphate (Pi) availability causes severe decline in crop productivity worldwide. Root system architecture (RSAr) plays a crucial role in Pi uptake from soil and thereby improving phosphorus use efficiency (PUE) of plants. Studying the genetic variability of RSAr traits acros...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Priyanka Upadhyay, Mehak Gupta, Simarjeet Kaur Sra, Gurdeep Cheema, Virender K. Sardana, Rakesh Sharda, Nitika Sandhu, Javed Akhatar, Gurpreet Kaur
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2025-08-01
Series:BMC Genomics
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12864-025-11840-2
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849238143001165824
author Priyanka Upadhyay
Mehak Gupta
Simarjeet Kaur Sra
Gurdeep Cheema
Virender K. Sardana
Rakesh Sharda
Nitika Sandhu
Javed Akhatar
Gurpreet Kaur
author_facet Priyanka Upadhyay
Mehak Gupta
Simarjeet Kaur Sra
Gurdeep Cheema
Virender K. Sardana
Rakesh Sharda
Nitika Sandhu
Javed Akhatar
Gurpreet Kaur
author_sort Priyanka Upadhyay
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background Low phosphate (Pi) availability causes severe decline in crop productivity worldwide. Root system architecture (RSAr) plays a crucial role in Pi uptake from soil and thereby improving phosphorus use efficiency (PUE) of plants. Studying the genetic variability of RSAr traits across various Pi levels offers insights for enhancing crop resilience to Pi deficiency. In the present study, we estimated the response of 280 mustard (Brassica juncea L. Czern and Coss.) genotypes for several root architectural traits (root length-RL, root surface area-RSA, root volume-RV, root average diameter-RAD, root fresh weight-RFW, shoot fresh weight-SFW and root shoot ratio-R/S) at the seedling stage in a hydroponic system at three Pi doses (low-LP, normal-NP and high-HP). Besides, LD-based genome wide association study was also conducted to identify genetic determinants governing RSAr traits at three Pi levels. Results Significant genetic variation was observed for the estimated root traits at all Pi levels. A marked increase in mean RL, RSA, RV, RAD, RFW and R/S and decrease in SFW were observed upon Pi starvation. Among 280 genotypes, six genotypes viz., KDM-49-1, DRMRIJ-17-39, RNN-505, NPJ-161, DRMRIJ-17-46, RH-749 were found promising which showed high efficiency at LP and improved responsive behaviour under HP. Genome wide association study allowed the identification of 30 genomic regions involving 140 unique SNPs significantly associated with five traits (RL, RSA, RV, RAD and RFW) on all excluding chromosome A07 of B. juncea. Identification of all Pi dose specific loci except one indicated high interactions between associated loci and Pi applications. Functional annotation of peak SNPs helped to predict 30 putative candidate genes for RSAr at varying Pi applications. Of these, 21 genes were found to be differently expressed in response to LP in high Pi efficient genotype as revealed from RNA seq analysis. Notable among these were genes LPR2 (triggering Pi starvation signaling pathway), PAH2 (Apase encoding gene) and hormone responsive genes (G6PD5, PLGG, LAX3, TIR1, LOG1 and LOG7). Conclusions These findings shed light on the genetic mechanisms underlying root architectural traits in response to varying Pi levels, with potential implications for crop improvement strategies aimed at enhancing phosphorus use efficiency in Brassica juncea.
format Article
id doaj-art-5f9698d3da3b41fb87d51eba6e72ed94
institution Kabale University
issn 1471-2164
language English
publishDate 2025-08-01
publisher BMC
record_format Article
series BMC Genomics
spelling doaj-art-5f9698d3da3b41fb87d51eba6e72ed942025-08-20T04:01:43ZengBMCBMC Genomics1471-21642025-08-0126111710.1186/s12864-025-11840-2Association mapping for root system architecture under varying levels of phosphorus application in Brassica juncea L. Czern & CossPriyanka Upadhyay0Mehak Gupta1Simarjeet Kaur Sra2Gurdeep Cheema3Virender K. Sardana4Rakesh Sharda5Nitika Sandhu6Javed Akhatar7Gurpreet Kaur8Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, Punjab Agricultural UniversityDepartment of Plant Breeding and Genetics, Punjab Agricultural UniversityDepartment of Plant Breeding and Genetics, Punjab Agricultural UniversityDepartment of Plant Breeding and Genetics, Punjab Agricultural UniversityDepartment of Plant Breeding and Genetics, Punjab Agricultural UniversityDepartment of Soil & Water Engineering, Punjab Agricultural UniversitySchool of Agricultural Biotechnology, Punjab Agricultural UniversityDepartment of Plant Breeding and Genetics, Punjab Agricultural UniversityDepartment of Plant Breeding and Genetics, Punjab Agricultural UniversityAbstract Background Low phosphate (Pi) availability causes severe decline in crop productivity worldwide. Root system architecture (RSAr) plays a crucial role in Pi uptake from soil and thereby improving phosphorus use efficiency (PUE) of plants. Studying the genetic variability of RSAr traits across various Pi levels offers insights for enhancing crop resilience to Pi deficiency. In the present study, we estimated the response of 280 mustard (Brassica juncea L. Czern and Coss.) genotypes for several root architectural traits (root length-RL, root surface area-RSA, root volume-RV, root average diameter-RAD, root fresh weight-RFW, shoot fresh weight-SFW and root shoot ratio-R/S) at the seedling stage in a hydroponic system at three Pi doses (low-LP, normal-NP and high-HP). Besides, LD-based genome wide association study was also conducted to identify genetic determinants governing RSAr traits at three Pi levels. Results Significant genetic variation was observed for the estimated root traits at all Pi levels. A marked increase in mean RL, RSA, RV, RAD, RFW and R/S and decrease in SFW were observed upon Pi starvation. Among 280 genotypes, six genotypes viz., KDM-49-1, DRMRIJ-17-39, RNN-505, NPJ-161, DRMRIJ-17-46, RH-749 were found promising which showed high efficiency at LP and improved responsive behaviour under HP. Genome wide association study allowed the identification of 30 genomic regions involving 140 unique SNPs significantly associated with five traits (RL, RSA, RV, RAD and RFW) on all excluding chromosome A07 of B. juncea. Identification of all Pi dose specific loci except one indicated high interactions between associated loci and Pi applications. Functional annotation of peak SNPs helped to predict 30 putative candidate genes for RSAr at varying Pi applications. Of these, 21 genes were found to be differently expressed in response to LP in high Pi efficient genotype as revealed from RNA seq analysis. Notable among these were genes LPR2 (triggering Pi starvation signaling pathway), PAH2 (Apase encoding gene) and hormone responsive genes (G6PD5, PLGG, LAX3, TIR1, LOG1 and LOG7). Conclusions These findings shed light on the genetic mechanisms underlying root architectural traits in response to varying Pi levels, with potential implications for crop improvement strategies aimed at enhancing phosphorus use efficiency in Brassica juncea.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12864-025-11840-2Indian mustardRoot system architecturePhosphorus use efficiencySNP genotypingMarker trait associations
spellingShingle Priyanka Upadhyay
Mehak Gupta
Simarjeet Kaur Sra
Gurdeep Cheema
Virender K. Sardana
Rakesh Sharda
Nitika Sandhu
Javed Akhatar
Gurpreet Kaur
Association mapping for root system architecture under varying levels of phosphorus application in Brassica juncea L. Czern & Coss
BMC Genomics
Indian mustard
Root system architecture
Phosphorus use efficiency
SNP genotyping
Marker trait associations
title Association mapping for root system architecture under varying levels of phosphorus application in Brassica juncea L. Czern & Coss
title_full Association mapping for root system architecture under varying levels of phosphorus application in Brassica juncea L. Czern & Coss
title_fullStr Association mapping for root system architecture under varying levels of phosphorus application in Brassica juncea L. Czern & Coss
title_full_unstemmed Association mapping for root system architecture under varying levels of phosphorus application in Brassica juncea L. Czern & Coss
title_short Association mapping for root system architecture under varying levels of phosphorus application in Brassica juncea L. Czern & Coss
title_sort association mapping for root system architecture under varying levels of phosphorus application in brassica juncea l czern coss
topic Indian mustard
Root system architecture
Phosphorus use efficiency
SNP genotyping
Marker trait associations
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s12864-025-11840-2
work_keys_str_mv AT priyankaupadhyay associationmappingforrootsystemarchitectureundervaryinglevelsofphosphorusapplicationinbrassicajuncealczerncoss
AT mehakgupta associationmappingforrootsystemarchitectureundervaryinglevelsofphosphorusapplicationinbrassicajuncealczerncoss
AT simarjeetkaursra associationmappingforrootsystemarchitectureundervaryinglevelsofphosphorusapplicationinbrassicajuncealczerncoss
AT gurdeepcheema associationmappingforrootsystemarchitectureundervaryinglevelsofphosphorusapplicationinbrassicajuncealczerncoss
AT virenderksardana associationmappingforrootsystemarchitectureundervaryinglevelsofphosphorusapplicationinbrassicajuncealczerncoss
AT rakeshsharda associationmappingforrootsystemarchitectureundervaryinglevelsofphosphorusapplicationinbrassicajuncealczerncoss
AT nitikasandhu associationmappingforrootsystemarchitectureundervaryinglevelsofphosphorusapplicationinbrassicajuncealczerncoss
AT javedakhatar associationmappingforrootsystemarchitectureundervaryinglevelsofphosphorusapplicationinbrassicajuncealczerncoss
AT gurpreetkaur associationmappingforrootsystemarchitectureundervaryinglevelsofphosphorusapplicationinbrassicajuncealczerncoss