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Report

Teaser, summary, work performed and final results

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - REPROHEAT (Increasing reproductive success in crops under high ambient temperature)

Teaser

Summary

Global warming has been demonstrated to exert a negative effect on Agriculture, for instance counteracting the possible benefits that an increase in CO2 might have in plant physiology. One of the most serious problems caused by higher temperatures with respect to cultivated plants is the decrease in male fertility, which has been associated to several factors including the malformation of pollen grains and to the limitation of pollen tube growth during fertilization. The investigation of treatments and the search for crop varieties that allow an increased tolerance to high temperatures is a very active research field. Several compounds have been tested in the lab to improve pollen fertility with different degrees of success, suchas ethylene, brassinosteroids and auxins. REPROHEAT has tackled this issue with two strategies in parallel: (1) the generation of plant varieties that increase endogenous auxin production in ovaries to promote pollen tube elongation; and (2) the search for compounds that stimulate pollen tube growth by reducing auxin inactivation in ovaries.

Work performed

As a result, we have generated new CRISPR mutants in the IAMT1 genes of two species (Arabidopsis and tomato) and confirmed that they increase seed production under heat stress. And we have found five new compounds that inhibit IAMT1 activity that can now be used in different natural and commercial crops. Research results have been presented in national and international workshops, and practical classes on environmental control of plant development have been performed to general audiences in Open Doors Science Days.

Final results

Although field tests have not been performed yet, preliminary assays under controlled lab environments suggest that both the genetic strategy and the compounds selected in our screening may yield between 15 and 30% increases in seed productivity under heat stress conditions. The advantage of the chemical approach is that -provided the safe use of these compounds- is that no modification of the genetic resources is necessary, saving the time and effort to generate the new varieties and maintaining biodiversity.