title: Stabilization of yield in plant genotype mixtures through compensation rather than complementation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Plant genotypic mixtures have the potential to increase yield stability in variable, often unpredictable environments, yet knowledge of the specific mechanisms underlying enhanced yield stability remains limited. Field studies are constrained by environmental conditions which cannot be fully controlled and thus reproduced. A suitable model system would allow reproducible experiments on processes operating within crop genetic mixtures.
  
  
  METHODS
  Phenotypically dissimilar genotypes of Arabidopsis thaliana were grown in monocultures and mixtures under high levels of competition for abiotic resources. Seed production, flowering time and rosette size were recorded.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mixtures achieved high yield stability across environments through compensatory interactions. Compensation was greatest when plants were under high levels of heat and nutrient stress. Competitive ability and mixture performance were predictable from above-ground phenotypic traits even though below-ground competition appeared to be more intense.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study indicates that the mixing ability of plant genotypes can be predicted from their phenotypes expressed in a range of relevant environments, and implies that a phenotypic screen of genotypes could improve the selection of suitable components of genotypic mixtures in agriculture intended to be resilient to environmental stress.
authors.affiliation: Crop Genetics Department, John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, Norfolk NR4 7UH, UK.
authors.forename: Henry E
authors.initials: HE
authors.lastname: Creissen
authors.forename: Tove H
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Jorgensen
authors.forename: James K M
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Brown
mesh_terms: D017360:Arabidopsis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development*; D001681:Biological Assay; D018533:Biomass; D005816:Genetic Complementation Test; D005838:Genotype; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000254:growth & development; D019655:Quantitative Trait, Heritable; D012639:Seeds / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development
keywords: Arabidopsis thaliana; compensation; experimental ecology; genotype mixtures; model-to-crop translational research; plant competition; resistance to environmental stress; variety mixtures; yield stability
references.citation: Ecol Appl. 1993 Feb;3(1):84-91
references.pmid: 27759217
references.citation: Science. 2001 Oct 26;294(5543):843-5
references.pmid: 11679667
references.citation: Annu Rev Phytopathol. 2002;40:381-410
references.pmid: 12147765
references.citation: Ann Bot. 2012 Dec;110(8):1503-14
references.pmid: 23022676
references.citation: Wiley Interdiscip Rev Comput Stat. 2009 Nov;1(3):354-360
references.pmid: 20625470
references.citation: Nat Methods. 2012 Jun 28;9(7):676-82
references.pmid: 22743772
references.citation: Nature. 2000 Aug 17;406(6797):718-22
references.pmid: 10963595
references.citation: Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1999 Feb 16;96(4):1463-8
references.pmid: 9990046
references.citation: Plant Dis. 2007 Jul;91(7):891-900
references.pmid: 30780402
references.citation: Adv Nutr. 2013 Jan 01;4(1):126-7
references.pmid: 23319131
references.citation: Science. 2008 Feb 1;319(5863):607-10
references.pmid: 18239122
references.citation: Theor Appl Genet. 1990 Sep;80(3):313-20
references.pmid: 24220962
references.citation: Nature. 2001 Mar 22;410(6827):409-10
references.pmid: 11260685
references.citation: Plant Cell. 2001 Jul;13(7):1499-510
references.pmid: 11449047
references.citation: New Phytol. 2010 Jan;185(1):322-31
references.pmid: 19886895
references.citation: Ann Bot. 2012 Mar;109(4):833-42
references.pmid: 22234559
references.citation: PLoS One. 2009 Nov 26;4(11):e8049
references.pmid: 19956624
references.citation: Nature. 2002 Jun 20;417(6891):844-8
references.pmid: 12075350
references.citation: Nature. 2004 Sep 9;431(7005):181-4
references.pmid: 15356630
references.citation: Oecologia. 1992 Aug;91(1):82-92
references.pmid: 28313378
references.citation: Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2005 Jan 18;102(3):695-700
references.pmid: 15640357
references.citation: Nature. 2006 Jun 1;441(7093):629-32
references.pmid: 16738658
references.citation: Science. 1999 Nov 5;286(5442):1123-7
references.pmid: 10550043