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<p>As moisture stress intensifies, breeding drought-tolerant sorghum varieties has become increasingly essential. However, root and physiological traits remain understudied in multi-parental sorghum populations derived from Ethiopian landraces and elite materials. In this study, 364 multi-parental sorghum lines were evaluated under greenhouse conditions to assess genetic variation and identify genomic regions associated with leaf morphology (area and angle), stomatal traits (density and diameter), and root characteristics (weight, number, biomass, and angle). Phenotypic variation was highly significant (<i>P</i> &lt; 0.0001) and heritable for all traits, with estimates ranging from 61% for stomatal number to 88% for root length heritability. Using 5,218 high-quality SNPs and six multi-locus GWAS models, we identified 16 robust markers (identified by multiple models) associated with physiological and root traits, of which most (14) represent putative novel loci. Population structure revealed five distinct subpopulations. The root angle marker (S4_61772402) is linked to Sobic.004G274000, a Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Kinase Kinase (MAPKKK) which is associated with ABA-mediated drought response. The gene associated with root dry weight (Sobic.001G485200) contributes to maintaining root growth and enhancing root biomass under water-limited conditions. All three markers detected for stomatal density showed negative allelic effects, indicating reduced stomatal number, a trait increasingly recognized as advantageous under drought. Additionally, associated genes for leaf area and angle were linked to improved water-use efficiency and light interception. These findings provide heritable targets for marker-assisted selection in sorghum breeding for drought. However, as controlled phenotyping did not capture G × E, field validation is necessary to confirm marker utility in breeding.</p>

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Genomic insights into root and physiological traits through multi-locus GWAS uncover key loci governing drought tolerance in sorghum

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年3月24日

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  • Firezer G. Kebede,
  • Kassahun Bantte,
  • Taye T. Mendaye,
  • Temesgen Menamo,
  • Chalachew Endalamaw,
  • Tokuma Legesse,
  • Hailemariam Solomon

摘要

As moisture stress intensifies, breeding drought-tolerant sorghum varieties has become increasingly essential. However, root and physiological traits remain understudied in multi-parental sorghum populations derived from Ethiopian landraces and elite materials. In this study, 364 multi-parental sorghum lines were evaluated under greenhouse conditions to assess genetic variation and identify genomic regions associated with leaf morphology (area and angle), stomatal traits (density and diameter), and root characteristics (weight, number, biomass, and angle). Phenotypic variation was highly significant (P < 0.0001) and heritable for all traits, with estimates ranging from 61% for stomatal number to 88% for root length heritability. Using 5,218 high-quality SNPs and six multi-locus GWAS models, we identified 16 robust markers (identified by multiple models) associated with physiological and root traits, of which most (14) represent putative novel loci. Population structure revealed five distinct subpopulations. The root angle marker (S4_61772402) is linked to Sobic.004G274000, a Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Kinase Kinase (MAPKKK) which is associated with ABA-mediated drought response. The gene associated with root dry weight (Sobic.001G485200) contributes to maintaining root growth and enhancing root biomass under water-limited conditions. All three markers detected for stomatal density showed negative allelic effects, indicating reduced stomatal number, a trait increasingly recognized as advantageous under drought. Additionally, associated genes for leaf area and angle were linked to improved water-use efficiency and light interception. These findings provide heritable targets for marker-assisted selection in sorghum breeding for drought. However, as controlled phenotyping did not capture G × E, field validation is necessary to confirm marker utility in breeding.