Breeding Strategies for Abiotic Stress Tolerance Breeding Plants for the Future 15 th May, Univ. of Reading

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1 Breeding Strategies for Abiotic Stress Tolerance Breeding Plants for the Future 15 th May, Univ. of Reading D. Warner, H.R. Lafitte, C. Messina, M. Cooper DuPont Pioneer 1

2 Adaptation & technology are key to productivity Improvements Breeders and agronomists have sustained crop production in the last century by developing improved crops and technologies Modified from: Cassman et al Convergence of energy and Agriculture. Council on Agriculture, Sci. Tech. Commentary QTA Ames, Iowa 2

3 21 st Century Seed Companies Sell Years of Integrated Technology in Every Bag Base genetics breeding Seed treatments chemistry & biological Biotechnology multiple transgenic traits Value-adding service and agronomic advice PHI

4 Worldwide Importance of Drought Tolerance Driven by: Worldwide Demand: Productivity in Era of Limited Fresh Water New Governmental Policies on Water Use Susceptibility of Maize Unrealized Yield Potential Technology Opportunities Percent Yield Reduction (from 4 consecutive days of visible wilting) 40% 30% 10 % 25% 50% PHI

5 Historical development of the Ogallala Aquifer

6 Improving agricultural water use Hybrid and varietal selection Drought tolerance Herbicide tolerance Agronomic management Tillage: residue Terracing Plant population Irrigation management Soil moisture monitors Variable rate New high-efficiency systems

7 Long-Term Genetic Gain: Germplasm Genetic improvement of Maize Drought Tolerance G =

8 Breeding progress across range of environments 8

9 Drought Tolerance Breeding TPE Woodland Viluco Hybrid Testing BV=? Drought & TPE PHI

10 Drought Product R&D: Native Traits Whole genome predictions used to load germplasm into pipeline Pioneer pedigree breeding program + period of years performance data used to initiate new crosses for superior drought stress performance. Predictions use genetic signal estimated genome-wide, not just key QTL PHI

11 Technology Integration: Prediction Virtual Breeding Program: Genetic Prediction 10 6 Untested Evaluation Genotype Tested 10 4 Prediction + Empirical Evaluation Phenotype Commercial Release 11

12 Innovative technology advancements Precision phenotyping Managed stress testing locations Flowering stress Head-to-head comparisons Dedicated IMPACT trials Use of EnClass system to quantify timing and severity of stress Grain filling stress 2011 PHII 12

13 Phenotyping: Drought Managed Environments Woodland Full Irrigation Mild Stress Severe Stress Viluco Full Irrigation Grain Fill Stress Flowering Stress 13

14 Phenotyping: Drought Managed Environments AQUAmax Tolerant WW = 19.3 t/ha GFS = 11.2 t/ha FS = 10.7 t/ha Susceptible WW = 18.1 t/ha GFS = 9.8 t/ha FS = 1.3 t/ha

15 Framework for Understanding Changes in Water Productivity Yield = Resource Capture Resource Use Efficiency Partitioning Water Capture Water Status critical period Transpiration Efficiency Water use partitioning Biomass partitioning GxExTxM Cooper M., van Eeuwijk F.A., Hammer G.L., Podlich D.W., Messina C. (2009) Modeling QTL for complex traits: detection and context for plant breeding. Current Opinion in Plant Biology 12: Hammer G, Cooper M, Tardieu F, Welch S, Walsh B, van Eeuwijk F, Chapman S, Podlich D, 2006 Models for Navigating Biological Complexity in Breeding Improved Crop Plants. Trends in Plant Science 11, PHI

16 Drought - Trait Investigations Performance is based on best balance of growth and water use to maximize yield. Early conservation of water improves potential for kernel set and grain fill. What traits are associated with conservation of water and efficient water use? 16

17 Biomass (g m-2) Soil Moisture (mm) Total Biomass Yield Shedding Silk Soil Water Limited Transpiration Yang et al. (2012) Environmental and Experimental Botany 78: Cooper et al (2014) Journal of Experimental Botany

18 Silk # Drought - Trait Investigations Leaf Area: Root Structure: Silking Dynamics: Ear Biomass (g) Staygreen: 18

19 Breeding Simulation: Advancement Project Individual Genotypes onto the Geographical TPE View 19

20 Breeding Simulation: Advancement Drought Tolerant Commercial AQUAmax 2011 New Commercial Product Advancement 2012 AQUAmax

21 Innovations in drought Pioneer Leads in Drought Innovations with Optimum AQUAmax Products Success Lead gene demonstrating total product performance Leveraging Optimum AQUAmax hybrids in new markets Superior management practices + genetics Next generation transgenic solutions Biotech solutions with broad acreage applications Native traits Isolated with AYT system technology Fast to market, economical, impactful Broad U.S. application, Europe introduction Total product performance Locally relevant solutions Industry-leading drought tolerance genetic pool Local advancement decision Customer education through Grower Systems Trials 45 Optimum AQUAmax hybrids across U.S. for 2013 One hybrid launched in Europe in 2012, four hybrids in 2013 U.S. Optimum AQUAmax Hybrid Yield Data* Category Waterlimited % Yield Advantage Pioneer t/ha Yield Advantage % Wins # of Comps % 3,606 Favorable % 7,663 Source: *In 2012, Optimum AQUAmax products were grown in on-farm comparisons against competitive hybrids (+/- 4 CRM) in 3,606 water-limited environments with a win ratio of 69 percent; and 7,663 comparisons under favorable growing conditions with a win ratio of 59 percent in the United States. Cumulative claim includes all 2011 and 2012 on-farm comparisons across the United States. Water-limited environments are those in which the water supply/demand ratio during flowering or grain fill was less than 0.66 on a 0-1 scale (1=adequate moisture as determined by DuPont Pioneer) using the Pioneer proprietary EnClass system and in which the average yield of competitor brand hybrids was less than 150 bu/acre. Moisture levels were measured at the nearest weather station. Favorable growing conditions are locations where yield levels were at or above 180 bu/acre on average, regardless of moisture levels. Product performance in water-limited environments is variable and depends on many factors such as the severity and timing of moisture deficiency, heat stress, soil type, management practices and environmental stress as well as disease and pest pressures. All hybrids may exhibit reduced yield under water and heat stress. Individual results may vary. Pioneer brand hybrids with transgenic drought tolerance will not be available for sale or distribution until completion of field testing and approval by regulatory authorities PHII 21

22 Drought Breeding: Some Keys to Success Commitment to a Long-Term Effort Product Concept: Understand Your Germplasm & Market Phenotyping Managed-Environments: Uniformity, Repeatability, Predictability Target Population of Environments Understand G x T x E x M Genotyping and Prediction Genome-wide Prediction: Applied Quantitative Genetics Crop models Breeding Strategy Integration of technologies to enable team to execute all stages You get what you select for: Even if you don t know what it is! People: Teamwork 22

23 Thank you 23