Soybean varieties with air-bubble-resistant stems kept yields steady through drought
Schell V, Kervroëdan L, Corso D, N'do DY, Faucon MP
Climate Adaptation
Soybeans bred for drought-resistant plumbing could keep yields stable through the dry summers that are becoming more frequent in growing regions across the Midwest and beyond.
Plants pull water up through tiny tubes in their stems, but during a drought those tubes can fill with air bubbles, cutting off water flow and stressing the plant. Researchers found that some soybean varieties have tougher tubes that resist these bubbles far better than others. The varieties with tougher tubes held onto their yields during dry field seasons, meaning this biological trait is a real and measurable handle that plant breeders could grab onto to grow more drought-resilient soybeans.
Key Findings
Soybean cultivars showed a mean leaf embolism resistance of -1.85 MPa, with a 1 MPa spread between the most and least resistant of ten cultivars tested.
Higher embolism resistance in leaves correlated with better yield maintenance in the field, especially during dry years.
X-ray micro-tomography confirmed vulnerability segmentation across the vascular pathway, indicating that leaf hydraulics are a meaningful bottleneck during drought stress.
chevron_right Technical Summary
Soybean varieties with stronger water-conducting tubes that resist drought-induced air blockages produce better yields during dry years. Researchers tested ten cultivars and found up to a 1 MPa spread in drought resilience, suggesting breeders can select for this hidden hydraulic trait to buffer crop losses during increasingly common droughts.
Abstract Preview
Original paper
Greater Resistance to Drought-Induced Embolism Is Linked to Higher Yield Maintenance in Soybean.
With increasing drought events worldwide, crop breeding must focus on drought resistance to maintain crop yields. To ensure a high level of gas exchange and growth, plants need to maintain the inte...
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