Genetic variation in CaTIFY4b contributes to drought adaptation in chickpea.

ABSTRACT: Chickpea production is vulnerable to drought stress. Identifying the genetic components underlying drought adaptation is crucial for enhancing chickpea productivity. Here, we present the fine mapping and characterization of 'QTL-hotspot', a genomic region controlling chickpea growth with positive consequences on crop production under drought. We report that a non-synonymous substitution in the transcription factor CaTIFY4b regulates seed weight and organ size in chickpea. Ectopic expression of CaTIFY4b in Medicago truncatula enhances root growth under water deficit. Our results suggest that allelic variation in 'QTL-hotspot' improves pre-anthesis water use, transpiration efficiency, root architecture and canopy development, enabling high-yield performance under terminal drought conditions.

SUBMITTER: Barmukh R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9398337 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature