BARISTA: Advanced tools for breeding BARley for Intensive and SusTainable Agriculture under climate change scenarios [ERA-NET COFUND SusCrop HORIZON2020]
Leader: Agata Daszkowska-Golec, DSc, PhD
Improving the genetic potential of the seeds is the most effective way to introduce the innovation in agriculture needed to meet the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Plant breeding allows improvement of crop sustainability and yield potential through the introgression of specific traits capable of coping with climate change, disease shifts, and resource limitations. BARISTA is delivering new breeding strategies and toolkits for boosting barley crop improvement, leading to new, high-yielding varieties selected to cope with anticipated future climatic conditions.
BARISTA is built on extensive phenotypic and genotypic data generated in previous projects and on current understanding of the genetics of ideotype traits for biotic and abiotic stress resilience. The consortium works on a common set of germplasm, consisting of ~200 barley spring cultivars extensively genotyped and phenotyped within the previous Exbardiv (ERA-PG 2006), Climbar (FACCE-JPI 2014), and various national projects, a panel of 160 spring barley single- and quadruple-stack lines developed to introgress quantitative resistance against the main barley pathogens, and several novel barley ABA-related mutants of candidate genes affecting water use efficiency (WUE) and drought tolerance.
In BARISTA, this germplasm and data resource is driving genomic prediction (GP) and crop simulation models (CSMs) in combination to improve current predictive breeding tools and methods. In addition, we are dissecting traits relevant for barley sustainability and resilience (e.g., water- and nitrogen-use efficiency, culm architecture, disease resistance, flowering time) by using state of the art phenotyping, genetics, and genomics methodologies.
BARISTA is working to release a barley breeding toolkit made of crop simulation models capable to predict crop performance under different climatic scenario and novel genes/alleles for sustainable production. The following major research findings and outputs have been achieved so far:
In terms of crop simulation models:
- A standard Genomic Prediction model has been developed using data from previous projects.
- Phenotyping of barley nitrogen response has been completed to calibrate the corresponding CSM.
- New Climatic scenario data from an ensemble of climate models for barley growing season across Europe have been determined.
- Evaluation/calibration of different CSM for selected barley genotypes and major traits (lodging, flowering time, nitrogen use efficiency, diseases response) is in progress.
In terms of new genes and genotypes the project has been identified or selected:
- Novel loci controlling culm diameter (larger culm contributes to lodging resistance).
- A wide range of ‘flowering’ gene haplotypes that allow barley to flower across the eco-geographical range.
- Genotypes with contrasting stomatal behaviour (ranging from anisohydric to isohydric) and segregating populations for genetic analysis.
- Genotypes carrying 1, 2, 3, 4 genes conferring quantitative diseases resistance effective against several pathogens simultaneously and less prone to be overcome by single pathogen races (currently under evaluation).
- Barley mutants in ABA-related genes: ABA-insensitive, with enhanced response to ABA, water saving (characterization is in progress).
Overall, BARISTA provides tools for breeding in general and genes/genotypes for improving crop sustainability (e.g. diseases resistance, nitrogen use efficiency, water use efficiency).
Project performed in consortium with: Consiglio Per La Ricerca In Agricoltura El’analisi Dell’economia Agraria; Università Degli Studi Di Milano, Włochy (P2); Luonnonvarakeskus (Luke) Production Systems, Finlandia (P3); Estación Experimental Aula Dei-Csic, Hiszpania (P4); Martin-Luther-University Halle/Wittenberg, Niemcy (P5); University Of Goettingen, Niemcy (P6); University Of Copenhagen, Dania (P7); James Hutton Institute, Wielka Brytania (P8); University Of Tartu, Estonia (P9); Seges; Fødevarer F.M.B.A. Planteinnovation, Dania (P11); Estonian Crop Research Institute, Estonia (P12)