Rapeseed NAC-type transcription factor BnNAC038 manipulates the trade-off between drought response and growth [DAP-seq]
Drought stress significantly impairs plant growth. In response to this stress, plants have evolved adaptive strategies to effectively allocate their limited resources, thereby ensuring both survival and growth under drought conditions. However, the regulatory mechanisms that govern this adaptive response and the key regulatory factors involved in the trade-off remain poorly understood. In this study, we identified a Brassica napus NAC transcription factor, BnNAC038, which functions as a central regulator in balancing drought tolerance and yield in the oil crop rapeseed. Loss-of-function analysis demonstrated that BnNAC038 knockout plants exhibited enhanced drought tolerance, characterized by higher survival rates, reduced water loss, increased sensitivity to ABA-induced stomatal closure, and elevated leaf temperature. Additionally, DAPseq and RNAseq analyses provided a more comprehensive understanding of the regulatory mechanisms involved. Taken together, our results offer compelling evidence for a novel strategy to develop drought-resilient crops with minimal yield penalties for sustainable agriculture, achieved through the targeted manipulation of negative regulators of drought responses. Overall design: DAP-seq of BnNAC038 was conducted with genomic DNA library.