Precision agriculture for SAT; Near future or unrealistic effort? Jana Kholová and col. ICRISAT Montpellier – 8th-9th June 2015

Overview Characterizing target environment Relevant phenotype for SAT HT-phenotyping Phenotype value System complexity (GxExM) & precision Ag for SAT

4. Relevant phenotype??? 1. Target environments 2. Environmental patterns 18% 17% 40% In phase I we characterized environment - in the main production region every 3-4 year the grain yield fails due to drought. We are trying to identify component traits which could bring yield advantage in the most frequent environment… 4. Relevant phenotype??? 18% 7% 3. Impact on production Kholová et al. 2013

(SAT – terminal drought)? Research concepts – relevant phenotyping Yield is consequence of GxExM Grain Yield Grain Number Grain Size & N  Biomass RADN TE T RUE Rint vpd kl LAI SLN Roots k  N LNo A >A Focus on the “causal phenotype” Yield is the result of many plant mechanisms – in each environment mechanisms (building blocks) contributing to yield advantage are different – therefore it is better to focus on components of yield rather than yield itself. Phenotyping causes, rather than consequences!!!! Which ”phenotype” is linked to yield improvement in target agro-ecology (SAT – terminal drought)? APSIM Generic Crop Template, from Graeme Hammer

Relevant phenotype for SAT? WU in week 3 after panicle emergence Grain Yield (g plant-1) Grain yield and water use Grain Yield Grain Number Grain Size & N  Biomass RADN TE T RUE Rint vpd kl LAI SLN Roots k  N LNo A >A constitutive WU defines grain-filling under terminal drought Pre-/post-anthesis water use Pre-anthesis WU linked to post-anthesis WU; post-anthesis WU linked to grain yiled Vadez et al. 2012

Relevant phenotype for SAT? Grain Yield Grain Number Grain Size & N  Biomass RADN TE T RUE Rint vpd kl LAI SLN Roots k  N LNo A >A Relevant phenotype for SAT? Constitutive WU : Vapor Pressure Deficit (VPD; kPa) Transpiration rate (g cm-2 h-1) 2 4 1 LA conductivity LA Thermal time & LA WU in time is defined by LA and LA conductivity during the growth; there is substantial variability in populations Basic research on WU components Vadez et al. 2010-2015 Kholová et al. 2010-2014

“consequential phenotype” Phenotyping principle LeasyScan Lysimetry Field % of lines holding desired phenotype “consequential phenotype” (High precision field trials) Grain Yield Grain Number Grain Size & N  Biomass RADN TE T RUE Rint vpd kl LAI SLN Roots k  N LNo A >A No. of lines phenotyped “causal phenotype” (HT-phenotyping) Platforms linkage!

= $ ? + Value of phenotype? – in silico predictions Model Stover Grain Environment Canopy size + = $ ? Model Stover Grain Pre-flowering Flowering Post-flowering Post-flowering relieved No stress What is the value of the variability in building blocks for breeding programmes?? Traditional multilocation trials can be approximated in silico with modell

Precision agriculture for SAT – GxExM Crop value = f(quantity + quality; socio-economic context) Stay-green sorghum; stover quality QTL effect ~ 6 units/QTL Control Water stress ~ 3 units MANAGEMENT effect Control Water stress 5 units of stover IVOD ~ 20% price! Link to socioeconomics Blümmel and Parthasarathy, 2006

Environmental characterization ideotypes & management Conclusions; Structure of research RESEARCH APPLICATION Value of traits (crop model & GxExM) Phenotype to genotype Environmental characterization & relevant traits ideotypes & management to regions (precision Ag for SAT) Breeding populations Socio-economics Feedback!!! HT-phenotyping

Thank you R4D requires multidisciplinarity! Bioinformatists Technology developers Physiologists Breeders Modelers Socioeconomists Nutritionists…. Mission To reduce poverty, hunger, malnutrition and environmental degradation in the dryland tropics Thank you