Quantitative genetic analysis of biomass and wood chemistry of Populus under different nitrogen levels.
The genetic control of carbon allocation and partitioning in woody perennial plants is poorly understood despite its importance for carbon sequestration, biofuels and other wood-based industries. It is also unclear how environmental cues, such as nitrogen availability, impact the genes that regulate growth, biomass allocation and wood composition in trees. We phenotyped 396 clonally replicated genotypes of an interspecific pseudo-backcross pedigree of Populus for wood composition and biomass traits in above- and below-ground organs. The loci that regulate growth, carbon allocation and partitioning under two nitrogen conditions were identified, defining the contribution of environmental cues to their genetic control. Sixty-three quantitative trait loci were identified for the 20 traits analyzed. The majority of quantitative trait loci are specific to one of the two nitrogen treatments, demonstrating significant nitrogen-dependent genetic control. A highly significant genetic correlation was observed between plant growth and lignin/cellulose composition, and quantitative trait loci co-localization identified the genomic position of potential pleiotropic regulators. Pleiotropic loci linking higher growth rates to wood with less lignin are excellent targets to engineer tree germplasm improved for pulp, paper and cellulosic ethanol production. The causative genes are being identified with a genetical genomics approach.
Novaes
Evandro
E
School of Forest Resources and Conservation, University of Florida, PO Box 110410, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA.
Osorio
Luis
L
School of Forest Resources and Conservation, University of Florida, PO Box 110410, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA.
Drost
Derek R
DR
School of Forest Resources and Conservation, University of Florida, PO Box 110410, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA.|Plant Molecular and Cellular Biology Graduate Program, University of Florida, PO Box 110690, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA.
Miles
Brianna L
BL
School of Forest Resources and Conservation, University of Florida, PO Box 110410, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA.
Boaventura-Novaes
Carolina R D
CRD
School of Forest Resources and Conservation, University of Florida, PO Box 110410, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA.
Benedict
Catherine
C
School of Forest Resources and Conservation, University of Florida, PO Box 110410, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA.
Dervinis
Christopher
C
School of Forest Resources and Conservation, University of Florida, PO Box 110410, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA.
Yu
Qibin
Q
School of Forest Resources and Conservation, University of Florida, PO Box 110410, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA.
Sykes
Robert
R
National Renewable Energy Laboratory, US Department of Energy, 1617 Cole Blvd., Golden, CO 80401, USA.
Davis
Mark
M
National Renewable Energy Laboratory, US Department of Energy, 1617 Cole Blvd., Golden, CO 80401, USA.
Martin
Timothy A
TA
School of Forest Resources and Conservation, University of Florida, PO Box 110410, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA.
Peter
Gary F
GF
School of Forest Resources and Conservation, University of Florida, PO Box 110410, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA.|Plant Molecular and Cellular Biology Graduate Program, University of Florida, PO Box 110690, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA.|University of Florida Genetics Institute, University of Florida, PO Box 103610, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA.
Kirst
Matias
M
School of Forest Resources and Conservation, University of Florida, PO Box 110410, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA.|Plant Molecular and Cellular Biology Graduate Program, University of Florida, PO Box 110690, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA.|University of Florida Genetics Institute, University of Florida, PO Box 103610, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA.
D018533:Biomass; D002999:Clone Cells; D005308:Fertilizers; D008040:Genetic Linkage; D013058:Mass Spectrometry; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010641:Phenotype; D018520:Plant Shoots / Q000254:growth & development; D032107:Populus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development*; D040641:Quantitative Trait Loci / Q000235:genetics; D019655:Quantitative Trait, Heritable; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D014934:Wood / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics*
D005308:Fertilizers; D009584:Nitrogen