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. 2010 Jun;105(7):1199-210.
doi: 10.1093/aob/mcp253. Epub 2009 Oct 8.

Genetic analysis of potassium use efficiency in Brassica oleracea

P J White  1 , J P Hammond, G J King, H C Bowen, R M Hayden, M C Meacham, W P Spracklen, M R Broadley
Affiliations

Genetic analysis of potassium use efficiency in Brassica oleracea

P J White et al. Ann Bot. 2010 Jun.

Abstract

Background and aims: Potassium (K) fertilizers are used in intensive and extensive agricultural systems to maximize production. However, there are both financial and environmental costs to K-fertilization. It is therefore important to optimize the efficiency with which K-fertilizers are used. Cultivating crops that acquire and/or utilize K more effectively can reduce the use of K-fertilizers. The aim of the present study was to determine the genetic factors affecting K utilization efficiency (KUtE), defined as the reciprocal of shoot K concentration (1/[K](shoot)), and K acquisition efficiency (KUpE), defined as shoot K content, in Brassica oleracea.

Methods: Genetic variation in [K](shoot) was estimated using a structured diversity foundation set (DFS) of 376 accessions and in 74 commercial genotypes grown in glasshouse and field experiments that included phosphorus (P) supply as a treatment factor. Chromosomal quantitative trait loci (QTL) associated with [K](shoot) and KUpE were identified using a genetic mapping population grown in the glasshouse and field. Putative QTL were tested using recurrent backcross substitution lines in the glasshouse.

Key results: More than two-fold variation in [K](shoot) was observed among DFS accessions grown in the glasshouse, a significant proportion of which could be attributed to genetic factors. Several QTL associated with [K](shoot) were identified, which, despite a significant correlation in [K](shoot) among genotypes grown in the glasshouse and field, differed between these two environments. A QTL associated with [K](shoot) in glasshouse-grown plants (chromosome C7 at 62.2 cM) was confirmed using substitution lines. This QTL corresponds to a segment of arabidopsis chromosome 4 containing genes encoding the K+ transporters AtKUP9, AtAKT2, AtKAT2 and AtTPK3.

Conclusions: There is sufficient genetic variation in B. oleracea to breed for both KUtE and KUpE. However, as QTL associated with these traits differ between glasshouse and field environments, marker-assisted breeding programmes must consider carefully the conditions under which the crop will be grown.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Shoot K concentrations of Brassica oleracea genotypes represented in (A) the structured diversity foundation set (DFS) in glasshouse experiment one (GE1; n = 343), in B. oleracea subtaxa surveyed in GE1 (sabellica, n = 6; acephala, n = 40; italica, n = 89; alboglabra, n = 13; sabauda, n = 15; tronchuda, n = 17; gemmifera, n = 43; capitata, n = 63; gongylodes, n = 23; and botrytis, n = 108), in (B) the commercial cultivars grown in GE1 and field experiment one (FE1; n = 75 and n = 72, respectively), and in (C) lines from the AGDH genetic mapping population grown in GE2 and FE2 (n = 92 and n = 62, respectively). Data are means of genotypes, averaged across all external P concentrations. The boundaries of the box closest to and furthest from zero indicate the 25th and 75th percentiles, respectively. The solid and dotted lines within the box indicate the median and mean, respectively. Error bars indicate the 10th and 90th percentiles. Circles indicate genotypes with extreme shoot K concentrations.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Shoot K concentrations of Brassica oleracea genotypes grown at either low or high external P concentrations ([P]ext) in (A) glasshouse experiment one (GE1) and (B) GE2, and at the lowest and highest P-fertilizer application rate ([P]ext) in (C) field experiment one (FE1) and (D) FE2. Among the 418 genotypes compared in GE1, the following subtaxa were represented: acephala (n = 40), alboglabra (13), botrytis (108), capitata (63), gemmifera (43), gongylodes (23), italica (89), sabauda (15), sabellica (6), tronchuda (17) and one accession with no subtaxon assigned. Among the 72 commercial cultivars compared in FE1, the following subtaxa were represented: acephala (n = 6), alboglabra (1), botrytis (12), capitata (16), gemmifera (7), gongylodes (6), italica (10), sabauda (8) and sabellica (6). Ninety accessions from the AGDH genetic mapping population plus the parents of this population, A12DHd and GDDH33, were compared in GE2 and 61 accessions from the AGDH genetic mapping population plus A12DHd were compared in FE2.
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
(A) Shoot K concentrations averaged across all P-fertilizer application rates ([P]ext) of 70 Brassica oleracea genotypes grown in both field experiment one (FE1) and glasshouse experiment one (GE1). The fitted line represents a significant linear regression (y = 0·178x + 1·396, R = 0·402, Fprob < 0·001). (B) Shoot K concentrations of nine reference B. oleracea genotypes grown in both GE1 and GE2 at low or high [P]ext as indicated. The fitted line represents a significant linear regression (y = 0·508x + 2·293, R = 0·57, Fprob = 0·014, n = 18). (C) Shoot K concentrations of seven reference B. oleracea genotypes grown in both FE1 and FE2 at [P]ext of 40·7, 39·6, 81·7 and 152·1 mg P L−1 as indicated. The fitted line represents a linear regression (y = 0·563x + 1·586, R = 0·391, Fprob = 0·039, n = 28). (D) Shoot K concentrations averaged across all [P]ext of 62 accessions from the AGDH genetic mapping population grown in both field (FE2) and glasshouse (GE2) environments. The fitted line represents a significant linear regression (y = 0·360x + 1·117, R = 0·514, Fprob < 0·001).
Fig. 4.
Fig. 4.
Relationships between shoot K concentration ([K]shoot) and (A) shoot Ca concentration ([Ca]shoot), (B) shoot Mg concentration ([Mg]shoot) and (C) shoot Na concentration ([Na]shoot) averaged across both P-fertilizer application rates ([P]ext) for the 90 accessions from the AGDH genetic mapping population grown in glasshouse experiment two (GE2). The fitted lines represent significant linear relationships between [K]shoot and [Ca]shoot (y = 6·728 − 0·887x, R = 0·436, Fprob < 0·001), [K]shoot and [Mg]shoot (7·265 – 4·121x, R = 0·482, Fprob < 0·001), and [K]shoot and [Na]shoot (y = 5·534 × +3·857, R = 0·296, Fprob = 0·004).
Fig. 5.
Fig. 5.
Shoot K concentrations ([K]shoot) in A12DHd (A alleles), GDDH33 (G alleles), and the AGSL substitution lines AGSL118, ASGL119, AGSL121, AGSL122, ASGL129, AGSL165 and AGSL168 in which chromosomal segments of GDDH33 are introgressed into the A12DHd background (Rae et al., 1999; Broadley et al., 2008; Hammond et al., 2009). Lines AGSL118 and ASGL119 were potentially informative for a putative QTL on chromosome C1 (91·2 cM) in which the G alleles increase [K]shoot. Lines AGSL121, AGSL122 and ASGL129 were potentially informative for a putative QTL associated with [K]shoot on C9 (33·5 cM) in which the G alleles increase [K]shoot. Lines AGSL165 and AGSL168 were informative for a putative QTL associated with [K]shoot on C7 (62·2 cM) in which the G alleles decrease [K]shoot. Data show means ± s.e.m. of three replicates of each genotype grown in glasshouse experiment three (GE3) with (A) low P or (B) high P supply. Horizontal lines indicate the mean [K]shoot of the parental lines AD12DHd and GDDH33.
Fig. 6.
Fig. 6.
Relationships between shoot biomass and (A) potassium uptake efficiency (KUpE), expressed as plant K content, and (B) potassium utilisation efficiency (KUtE), expressed as the reciprocal of shoot K concentration, among B. oleracea genotypes assayed in glasshouse experiment one (GE1) with adequate P supply (high [P]ext). The fitted line in A represents a significant linear relationship between plant biomass and plant K content (y = 0·019x + 0·156, R = 0·904, Fprob < 0·001, n = 420). (C) Relationship between KUtE and KUpE among B. oleracea genotypes assayed in the GE1 with adequate P supply (high [P]ext). The fitted line represents a significant linear relationship between KUtE and KUpE (y = 0·025 − 0·000053x, R = 0·314, Fprob < 0·001, n = 420).
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