Silphium wildflowers get their genomes decoded, speeding up crop domestication
Souza RS, Clevenger JP, Jenkins J, Korani W, Schmutz J
Crop Improvement
The rosinweeds growing in native prairies and roadside restorations near you are candidates for the next generation of grain crops, ones that would need no replanting, hold soil year-round, and feed pollinators from summer through fall.
Researchers decoded the complete genetic blueprints of two wild prairie plants related to sunflowers, called rosinweed and cup plant, which farmers are trying to turn into new grain and oilseed crops without starting from scratch with domesticated species. By reading their DNA in fine detail, the team figured out which genes shape the flowers and how wild populations are spread across the landscape. This lays the groundwork for breeding improved varieties the same way corn and wheat were once developed from wild ancestors, but far faster.
Key Findings
Phased genome assemblies completed for Silphium integrifolium and S. perfoliatum, with individual chromosomes reaching 1.8 Gb in size
81 genetic loci identified as associated with environmental adaptation and domestication-relevant traits across natural populations
Variants in three specific genes, including an ortholog of Arabidopsis ACR4, explain significant variation in floral architecture
chevron_right Technical Summary
Scientists have sequenced the genomes of two native North American wildflowers, compass plant relatives Silphium integrifolium and S. perfoliatum, both being developed as perennial grain and oilseed crops. The work reveals which genes control flower shape and identifies natural population patterns, accelerating efforts to domesticate these wild plants into sustainable, low-input crops.
Abstract Preview
Original paper
Assembly of Silphium interspecific hybrid genomes opens the genus to phylogenomics, ecogenomics, and molecular breeding.
Wild perennial plants can be domesticated to make agriculture more diverse and resilient, but many have large genomes that have been recalcitrant to analysis. Here, we report phased genome assembli...
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Native plants are species that have evolved naturally within a specific region or ecosystem without human introduction, forming integral ecological relationships with local soils, climate, and wildlife over thousands of years. In plant science, studying native species provides critical insights
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