Resistant Barley Research Articles

The Pulvinus Is the Weak Point for Stem Lodging Resistance in Ripe Barley

Stem lodging is a serious problem for the ripe barley crop because it can reduce grain yield and quality. Although biometrical traits (stem diameter and wall thickness) and mechanical properties (stiffness and strength of the culm) have an obvious role in determining lodging resistance, they have only a partial capability to predict lodging resistance. We, therefore, investigated how factors like stem wetting and the point of application of the bending force affect the assessment of these traits. A three-point bending test using a height gauge can provide measures of bending strength (BS), material strength (σb), modulus of elasticity (E), and stiffness (EI). Since the first two parameters are of greatest interest, a quick manual method for measuring them is proposed. We used it specifically to compare the results of tests made by loading the bending force either on the node or the internode. It was shown that the pulvinus (which forms a complex with the node) is the weak point for mechanical resistance to bending in ripe barley stems, as a drop in BS between −31% and −41% (depending on whether the stems were dry or wet) was observed when the loading force was applied on the node/pulvinus complex with respect to the internode. We also found that, overall, BS plummeted −62% with respect to dry stems when the stems were wetted. This was due to an equivalent (−62%) plunge in σb. Similar drops in BS (−64%) and σb (−68%) following wetting were measured with the height gauge. Wetting, therefore, greatly lowers the mechanical resistance of stems. Moreover, the existence of a weak point—i.e., the pulvinus—in mature barley stems is an important feature that must be considered when evaluating the lodging-related characteristics of this crop. These findings improve our understanding of the mechanical properties of barley stems and, thus, our capability to identify genotypes with better lodging resistance.

Physiological estimation of heat and drought resistance at the initial stages of winter barley ontogenesis

Drought and heat stress have significant effects on plant growth and productivity. In the natural environment, these abiotic stresses often occur simultaneously, which amplifies their negative effects. Therefore, understanding heat and drought influence on plant growth and productivity is particularly valuable. Winter barley, compared to other winter grain crops, is characterized by a relatively high resistance to moisture deficiency in soil and the effect of relatively high air temperatures. The current paper has highlighted the study of physiological indicators of winter barley resistance to moisture deficiency and high temperature effect. There have been presented the results of laboratory study for the period of 2022–2023. Identification of drought and heat resistance was carried out in the initial period of plant development on 100 winter barley samples of local selection and the VIR collection. The purpose of the study was to identify winter barley resistance to high temperatures and moisture deficiency using a set of laboratory methods. There has been studied the effect of sucrose solution of different concentrations (8, 12 and 14 atm.) and ambient temperature (52 and 54 °C) on the ability of seed germination under stress conditions. During the trials, there has been identified the best differentiation of resistance values under osmotic stress (8 atm.) and temperature (-54 °C). There have been identified the samples ‘Step’ (211.9 rel. units) and ‘HVW 36/72’ (157.9 rel. units) combining high resistance to osmotic and thermal stress, which reliably exceeded the values of the standard variety ‘Timofey’ by 25.3–79.3 rel. units.

Proteomic identification of apoplastic proteins from rice, wheat, and barley after Magnaporthe oryzae infection

The fungal pathogen Magnaporthe oryzae causes devastating blast disease in various cereals, including rice (Oryza sativa), wheat (Triticum aestivum), maize (Zea mays), and barley (Hordeum vulgare). Despite previous reports on fungal host specificity, the mechanisms underlying differential host infection strategies remain unclear. This study aimed to identify differentially abundant proteins (DAPs) in the apoplast of rice, barley, and wheat following infection with two M. oryzae pathovars using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS). LC–MS/MS analysis revealed an enrichment of both M. oryzae and host proteins in the apoplast during the compatible reaction compared to the incompatible reaction. DAPs from M. oryzae involved in the host interaction included secreted extracellular enzymes (e.g., hydrolases), which were significantly increased in the M. oryzae Oryzae (MoO)-infected rice apoplast. Among host proteins, the proportion of protein-modifying enzymes increased in the M. oryzae Triticum (MoT)-infected rice and MoO-infected wheat apoplastic fluids, particularly rice glycosidases, peroxidases, and serine proteases, as well as wheat serine proteases. Furthermore, DAPs from MoL-infected rice were enriched in carbohydrate metabolism, suggesting that carbohydrate metabolism-related proteins may play a vital role in rice resistance to MoL. Additionally, protein-modifying and cytoskeletal proteins, as well as stress-responsive proteins, were enriched in the MoO-infected wheat apoplastic fluid. Finally, DAPs from both MoO- and MoL-infected barley were enriched in hydrogen peroxide catabolism, suggesting that peroxidases may be vital for barley resistance to M. oryzae. The identification of DAPs from both M. oryzae strains and the three host plants offers valuable insights into the host specificity mechanisms of M. oryzae in cereal crops.

Resistance of barley cultivars and accessions to pathotypes of the spot blotch causative agent

Background. The spot blotch disease caused by the hemibiotrophic fungus Bipolaris sorokiniana has become a serious problem for barley. Utilization of resistant or tolerant barley cultivars ensures sustainable diversity conservation and environmentfriendly crop production. Thus, supplying barley breeders with sources of resistance to harmful diseases is an urgent task. Materials and methods. A set of 100 barley accessions, earlier selected for different levels of resistance to B. sorokiniana, served as the material for this study. Eleven isolates of B. sorokiniana of various geographic origin, belonging to 4 pathotypes, were used for testing. The resistance of barley seedlings was assessed under controlled laboratory conditions, and that of adult plants under artificial infection pressure in the field. Responses to B. sorokiniana were scored using the 0–9 rating scale.Results and conclusions. Barley genotypes with race-specific resistance to the spot blotch causative agent were identified. The percentage of barley genotypes resistant to five isolates of B. sorokiniana pathotype 1 averaged 24.2%; two isolates of pathotype 3, 29.5%; three isolates of pathotype 7, 18.3%; and one isolate of pathotype 0, 37%. Barley accessions manifesting resistance in their seedlings, but susceptible in the phase of milk-wax ripeness, and vice versa, with seedling susceptibility and adult resistance, were identified. Six (6) barley genotypes showed seedling and adult resistance to pathotype 1, nine (9) to pathotype 3, and two (2) to pathotype 7. No barley accessions resistant to all isolates of the pathogen were found.

Yellow Dwarf Virus Resistance in Barley: Phenotyping, Remote Imagery, and Virus-Vector Characterization.

Yellow dwarf viruses (YDVs) spread by aphids are some of the most economically important barley (Hordeum vulgare) virus-vector complexes worldwide. Detection and control of these viruses are critical components in the production of barley, wheat, and numerous other grasses of agricultural importance. Genetic control of plant diseases is often preferable to chemical control to reduce the environmental and economic cost of foliar insecticides. Accordingly, the objectives of this work were to (i) screen a barley population for resistance to YDVs under natural infection using phenotypic assessment of disease symptoms, (ii) implement drone imagery to further assess resistance and test its utility as a disease screening tool, (iii) identify the prevailing virus and vector types in the experimental environment, and (iv) perform a genome-wide association study to identify genomic regions associated with measured traits. Significant genetic differences were found in a population of 192 barley inbred lines regarding their YDV symptom severity, and symptoms were moderately to highly correlated with grain yield. The YDV severity measured with aerial imaging was highly correlated with on-the-ground estimates (r = 0.65). Three aphid species vectoring three YDV species were identified with no apparent genotypic influence on their distribution. A quantitative trait locus impacting YDV resistance was detected on chromosome 2H, albeit undetected using aerial imaging. However, quantitative trait loci for canopy cover and mean normalized difference vegetation index were successfully mapped using the drone. This work provides a framework for utilizing drone imagery in future resistance breeding efforts for YDVs in cereals and grasses, as well as in other virus-vector disease complexes.

Classification and prediction of drought and salinity stress tolerance in barley using GenPhenML

Genetic and agronomic advances consistently lead to an annual increase in global barley yield. Since abiotic stresses (physical environmental factors that negatively affect plant growth) reduce barley yield, it is necessary to predict barley resistance. Artificial intelligence and machine learning (ML) models are new and powerful tools for predicting product resilience. Considering the research gap in the use of molecular markers in predicting abiotic stresses, this paper introduces a new approach called GenPhenML that combines molecular markers and phenotypic traits to predict the resistance of barley genotypes to drought and salinity stresses by ML models. GenPhenML uses feature selection algorithms to determine the most important molecular markers. It then identifies the best model that predicts atmospheric resistance with lower MAE, RMSE, and higher R2. The results showed that GenPhenML with a neural network model predicted the salinity stress resistance score with MAE, RMSE and R2 values of 0.1206, 0.0308 and 0.9995, respectively. Also, the NN model predicted drought stress scores with MAE, RMSE and R2 values of 0.0727, 0.0105 and 0.9999, respectively. The GenPhenML approach was also used to classify barley genotypes as resistant and stress-sensitive. The results showed that the accuracy, accuracy and F1 score of the proposed approach for salinity and drought stress classification were higher than 97%.

Влияние применения различных гуминовых препаратов на формирование урожая и качество зернофуражного ячменя

The results of studies on the effectiveness of seed treatment and plant spraying with various humic preparations on spring grain feed barley are presented. The objectives of the research included assessing the effect of various humic preparations on productivity, disease resistance and grain quality of spring barley under various methods of their application (seed treatment, plant spraying, seed treatment + plant spraying). The objects of research were spring two-row barley of the Raushan variety. Humic preparations Bigus and Gumat +7 were used. The research was carried out in 2022-2023 on gray forest, medium loamy soil. In 2022, moisture conditions during the growing season were favorable; in 2023, periodic severe drought events were observed. The use of humic preparations led to a decrease in the development of both leaf diseases (dark brown spot) and root rot. The drug Bigus Extra had a more pronounced effect on reducing the damage to plants by root rot. The use of humic preparations had a positive effect on the length of the stem and ear of barley. The maximum values of the stem length were when using seed treatment and spraying crops with Bigus Extra, and the greatest length of the ear was when using Gumi+7. The use of humic preparations increases the yield of spring barley from 11 to 27.8%. When using only seed treatment or only spraying of crops, Bigus Extra had an advantage in yield, and when using a combination – seed treatment + plant treatment Humat +7. The highest yield of spring barley (27.8% more than in the control) was obtained using a scheme in which seeds and plants were treated with Humate +7. The use of seed treatment followed by spraying of plants led to an increase in the protein content of barley grain. The use of humic preparations in which they are used for pre-sowing seed treatment and subsequently for spraying crops (twice) was optimal for spring barley.

Comparative Analysis of Hulless Barley Transcriptomes to Regulatory Effects of Phosphorous Deficiency.

Hulless barley is a cold-resistant crop widely planted in the northwest plateau of China. It is also the main food crop in this region. Phosphorus (P), as one of the important essential nutrient elements, regulates plant growth and defense. This study aimed to analyze the development and related molecular mechanisms of hulless barley under P deficiency and explore the regulatory genes so as to provide a basis for subsequent molecular breeding research. Transcriptome analysis was performed on the root and leaf samples of hulless barley cultured with different concentrations of KH2PO4 (1 mM and 10 μM) Hoagland solution. A total of 46,439 genes were finally obtained by the combined analysis of leaf and root samples. Among them, 325 and 453 genes had more than twofold differences in expression. These differentially expressed genes (DEGs) mainly participated in the abiotic stress biosynthetic process through Gene Ontology prediction. Moreover, the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes showed that DEGs were mainly involved in photosynthesis, plant hormone signal transduction, glycolysis, phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, and synthesis of metabolites. These pathways also appeared in other abiotic stresses. Plants initiated multiple hormone synergistic regulatory mechanisms to maintain growth under P-deficient conditions. Transcription factors (TFs) also proved these predictions. The enrichment of ARR-B TFs, which positively regulated the phosphorelay-mediated cytokinin signal transduction, and some other TFs (AP2, GRAS, and ARF) was related to plant hormone regulation. Some DEGs showed different values in their FPKM (fragment per kilobase of transcript per million mapped reads), but the expression trends of genes responding to stress and phosphorylation remained highly consistent. Therefore, in the case of P deficiency, the first response of plants was the expression of stress-related genes. The effects of this stress on plant metabolites need to be further studied to improve the relevant regulatory mechanisms so as to further understand the importance of P in the development and stress resistance of hulless barley.

Modulation in the ratio of abscisic acid to gibberellin level determines genetic variation of seed dormancy in barley (Hordeum vulgare L.)

Abscisic acid (ABA) and gibberellin (GA) are major regulators of seed dormancy, an adaptive trait closely associated with preharvest sprouting. This study examined transcriptional regulation of ABA and GA metabolism genes and modulation of ABA and GA levels in seeds of barley genotypes exhibiting a range of dormancy phenotype. We observed a very strong negative correlation between genetic variation in seed germination and embryonic ABA level (r = 0.85), which is regulated by transcriptional modulation of HvNCED1 and/or HvCYP707A genes. A strong positive correlation was evident between variation in seed germination and GA level (r = 0.64), mediated via transcriptional regulation of GA biosynthesis genes, HvGA20ox2 and/or HvGA3oxs, and GA catabolism genes, HvGA2ox3 and/or HvGA3ox6. Modulation of the ABA and GA levels in the genotypes led to the prevalence of ABA to GA level ratio that exhibited a very strong negative correlation (r = 0.84) with seed germination, highlighting the importance of a shift in ABA/GA ratio in determining genetic variation of dormancy in barley seeds. Our results overall show that transcriptional regulation of specific ABA and GA metabolism genes underlies genetic variation in ABA/GA ratio and seed dormancy, reflecting the potential use of these genes as molecular tools for enhancing preharvest sprouting resistance in barley.

A Quantitative Trait Locus with a Major Effect on Root-Lesion Nematode Resistance in Barley.

Although the root-lesion nematode Pratylenchus thornei is known to affect barley (Hordeum vulgare L.), there have been no reports on the genetic control of P. thornei resistance in barley. In this research, P. thornei resistance was assessed for a panel of 46 barley mapping parents and for two mapping populations (Arapiles/Franklin and Denar/Baudin). With both populations, a highly significant quantitative trait locus (QTL) was mapped at the same position on the long arm of chromosome 7H. Single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in this region were anchored to an RGT Planet pan-genome assembly and assayed on the mapping parents and other barley varieties. The results indicate that Arapiles, Denar, RGT Planet and several other varieties likely have the same resistance gene on chromosome 7H. Marker assays reported here could be used to select for P. thornei resistance in barley breeding. Analysis of existing barley pan-genomic and pan-transcriptomic data provided a list of candidate genes along with information on the expression and differential expression of some of those genes in barley root tissue. Further research is required to identify a specific barley gene that affects root-lesion nematode resistance.

Ai solutions for digital diagnostics of diseases of grain crops (using the example of <i>Pyrenophora teres</i> of winter barley)

The aim of the research is to justify the feasibility of using digital intelligent technologies in forecasting the development of spot blotch in winter barley. The AI solution developed is a binary decision tree capable of predicting scenarios of net blotch development: depressive, moderate, and epiphytotic. To configure the algorithm’s parameters from 2021 to 2023, field and laboratory experiments were conducted at the Federal Scientific Center for Biological Plant Protection. The data preparation involved several stages, including setting up field plots to create an artificial infection background, preparing an inoculum, sowing highly susceptible and resistant winter barley varieties, and artificial inoculation. The selected input factors included the observed degree of leaf damage, type of variety resistance, vegetation phase at the time of primary infection, average relative air humidity during the vegetation phase of infection. The total sample size comprised 144 observations. The trained model demonstrated high classification accuracy on both the training and test datasets, with an accuracy rate exceeding 96 %. Based on a statistical assessment of the factors influencing the development of spot blotch in barley, it is shown that the most influential factor is the current degree of leaf infection (74,3 %), followed by the average relative air humidity (11,9 %), the variety’s resistance to the disease (10,4 %), and the stage development during which infection occurred (3,4 %). The proposed solution holds significant practical importance as it provides new opportunities for the diagnostic process of spot blotch in winter barley. Among these are high diagnostic speed, accuracy in forecast predictions, and applicability in field conditions.

Effects of Lactone- and Ketone-Brassinosteroids of the 28-Homobrassinolide Series on Barley Plants under Water Deficit.

The aim of this work was to study the ability of 28-homobrassinolide (HBL) and 28-homocastasterone (HCS) to increase the resistance of barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) plants to drought and to alter their endogenous brassinosteroid status. Germinated barley seeds were treated with 0.1 nM HBL or HCS solutions for two hours. A water deficit was created by stopping the watering of 7-day-old plants for the next two weeks. Plants responded to drought through growth inhibition, impaired water status, increased lipid peroxidation, differential effects on antioxidant enzymes, intense proline accumulation, altered expression of genes involved in metabolism, and decreased endogenous contents of hormones (28-homobrassinolide, B-ketones, and B-lactones). Pretreatment of plants with HBL reduced the inhibitory effect of drought on fresh and dry biomass accumulation and relative water content, whereas HCS partially reversed the negative effect of drought on fresh biomass accumulation, reduced the intensity of lipid peroxidation, and increased the osmotic potential. Compared with drought stress alone, pretreatment of plants with HCS or HBL followed by drought increased superoxide dismutase activity sevenfold or threefold and catalase activity (by 36%). The short-term action of HBL and HCS in subsequent drought conditions partially restored the endogenous B-ketone and B-lactone contents. Thus, the steroidal phytohormones HBL and HCS increased barley plant resistance to subsequent drought, showing some specificity of action.

Barley yellow dwarf virus-GAV 17K protein disrupts thiamine biosynthesis to facilitate viral infection in plants.

Thiamine functions as a crucial activator modulating plant health and broad-spectrum stress tolerances. However, the role of thiamine in regulating plant virus infection is largely unknown. Here, we report that the multifunctional 17K protein encoded by barley yellow dwarf virus-GAV (BYDV-GAV) interacted with barley pyrimidine synthase (HvTHIC), a key enzyme in thiamine biosynthesis. HvTHIC was found to be localized in chloroplast via an N-terminal 74-amino acid domain. However, the 17K-HvTHIC interaction restricted HvTHIC targeting to chloroplasts and triggered autophagy-mediated HvTHIC degradation. Upon BYDV-GAV infection, the expression of the HvTHIC gene was significantly induced, and this was accompanied by accumulation of thiamine and salicylic acid. Silencing of HvTHIC expression promoted BYDV-GAV accumulation. Transcriptomic analysis of HvTHIC silenced and non-silenced barley plants showed that the differentially expressed genes were mainly involved in plant-pathogen interaction, plant hormone signal induction, phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, starch and sucrose metabolism, photosynthesis-antenna protein, and MAPK signaling pathway. Thiamine treatment enhanced barley resistance to BYDV-GAV. Taken together, our findings reveal a molecular mechanism underlying how BYDV impedes thiamine biosynthesis to uphold viral infection in plants.

Genome-Wide Association Study of Host Resistance to Hessian Fly in Barley.

The Hessian fly (HF), Mayetiola destructor (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae), is one of the most devastating insect pests of cereals including wheat, barley, and rye. Although wheat is the preferred host for HF, this continuously evolving pest has been emerging as a threat to barley production. However, characterization and identification of genetic resistance to HF has not been conducted in barley. In the present study, we used a genome-wide association study (GWAS) to identify barley resistance loci to HF using a geographically diverse set of 234 barley accessions. The results showed that around 90% of barley lines were highly susceptible, indicating a significant vulnerability to HF in barley, and a total of 29 accessions were resistant, serving as potential resistance resources. GWAS with a mixed linear model revealed two marker-trait associations, both on chromosome 4H. The resistance loci and associated markers will facilitate barley improvement and development for breeders. In addition, our results are fundamental for genetic studies to understand the HF resistance mechanism in barley.

The Hessian fly resistance gene HvRHF1 is localized in an NBS-LRR gene cluster in barley.

Hessian fly (Mayetiola destructor Say) is a significant pest in cereal crops, causing substantial yield losses worldwide. While host resistance is the most efficient method for pest control, research on genetic characterization of Hessian fly resistance in barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) has been limited, and the underlying resistance mechanism remains largely unknown. In this study, we conducted fine mapping of a crucial Hessian fly resistance locus, known as HvRHF1, using a biparental population. Assisted with genetic markers and robust phenotyping assay, we pinpointed the HvRHF1 gene to an ~ 82kb region on chromosome 4H. Gene prediction and annotation revealed that the HvRHF1 locus comprises three complete NBS-LRR genes, which are characteristic of disease resistance genes. As a result, our study not only provides valuable resources for resistance in barley and genetic tools for breeding, but also identifies candidate genes that lay the foundation for cloning HvRHF1. This endeavor will significantly contribute to our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying cereal resistance to Hessian fly.

High-resolution mapping of Ryd4Hb, a major resistance gene to Barley yellow dwarf virus from Hordeum bulbosum

Key messageWe mapped Ryd4Hb in a 66.5 kbp interval in barley and dissociated it from a sublethality factor. These results will enable a targeted selection of the resistance in barley breeding.Virus diseases are causing high yield losses in crops worldwide. The Barley yellow dwarf virus (BYDV) complex is responsible for one of the most widespread and economically important viral diseases of cereals. While no gene conferring complete resistance (immunity) has been uncovered in the primary gene pool of barley, sources of resistance were searched and identified in the wild relative Hordeum bulbosum, representing the secondary gene pool of barley. One such locus, Ryd4Hb, has been previously introgressed into barley, and was allocated to chromosome 3H, but is tightly linked to a sublethality factor that prevents the incorporation and utilization of Ryd4Hb in barley varieties. To solve this problem, we fine-mapped Ryd4Hb and separated it from this negative factor. We narrowed the Ryd4Hb locus to a corresponding 66.5 kbp physical interval in the barley ‘Morex’ reference genome. The region comprises a gene from the nucleotide-binding and leucine-rich repeat immune receptor family, typical of dominant virus resistance genes. The closest homolog to this Ryd4Hb candidate gene is the wheat Sr35 stem rust resistance gene. In addition to the fine mapping, we reduced the interval bearing the sublethality factor to 600 kbp in barley. Aphid feeding experiments demonstrated that Ryd4Hb provides a resistance to BYDV rather than to its vector. The presented results, including the high-throughput molecular markers, will permit a more targeted selection of the resistance in breeding, enabling the use of Ryd4Hb in barley varieties.

Co3O4 Nanostructured Sensor for Electrochemical Detection of H2O2 as a Stress Biomarker in Barley: Fe3O4 Nanoparticles-Mediated Enhancement of Salt Stress Tolerance.

This research investigates the enhancement of barley's resistance to salt stress by integrating nanoparticles and employing a nanostructured Co3O4 sensor for the electrochemical detection of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), a crucial indicator of oxidative stress. The novel sensor, featuring petal-shaped Co3O4 nanostructures, exhibits remarkable precision and sensitivity to H2O2 in buffer solution, showcasing notable efficacy in complex analytes like plant juice. The research establishes that the introduction of Fe3O4 nanoparticles significantly improves barley's ability to withstand salt stress, leading to a reduction in detected H2O2 concentrations, alongside positive impacts on morphological parameters and photosynthesis rates. The developed sensor promises to provide real-time monitoring of barley stress responses, providing valuable information on increasing tolerance to crop stressors.

Heat Treatments at Varying Ambient Temperatures and Durations Differentially Affect Plant Defense to Blumeria hordei in a Resistant and a Susceptible Hordeum vulgare Line.

Our previous research showed that a powdery mildew resistant barley line (MvHV07-17) maintains its resistance to Blumeria hordei (Bh) even if plants are exposed to a long-term high temperature of 35°C for 120 h before Bh inoculation, whereas such high temperature pretreatment further increases susceptibility to infection in the susceptible barley line MvHV118-17. In the present study, we extended this approach using short-term high-temperature water treatment (49°C for 30 s) to determine how it affects powdery mildew resistance in these barley lines. We found that this short-term heat shock (HS) impaired plant defense responses, as reflected by development of Bh colonies and visible necrotic spots on leaves of MvHV07-17, which does not develop visible symptoms upon Bh inoculation under optimal growth conditions. In contrast, both HS and long-term heat stress enhanced susceptibility to Bh in MvHV118-17 plants. These results were supported by the measurement of Bh biomass using a qPCR method. Furthermore, microscopic examinations showed that HS elevated the rate of successful Bh penetration events and the spread of cell death in the surrounding mesophyll area and allowed for colony formation and sporulation in resistant barley, whereas early and effective plant defense responses, such as papilla formation and single-cell epidermal hypersensitive response, were significantly reduced. Furthermore, we found that the accumulation of hydrogen peroxide in both resistant and susceptible barley was correlated with susceptibility induced by HS and long-term heat-stress. This study may contribute to a better understanding of plant defense responses to Bh in barley exposed to heat. [Formula: see text] Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license.

Exploratory genomic sequence analysis reveals structural differences at key loci for growth habit, seed dormancy, and rust resistance in barley

Exploratory genomic sequence analysis reveals structural differences at key loci for growth habit, seed dormancy, and rust resistance in barley

Genome-wide analysis of FRF gene family and functional identification of HvFRF9 under drought stress in barley.

FHY3 and its homologous protein FAR1 are the founding members of FRS family. They exhibited diverse and powerful physiological functions during evolution, and participated in the response to multiple abiotic stresses. FRF genes are considered to be truncated FRS family proteins. They competed with FRS for DNA binding sites to regulate gene expression. However, only few studies are available on FRF genes in plants participating in the regulation of abiotic stress. With wide adaptability and high stress-resistance, barley is an excellent candidate for the identification of stress-resistance-related genes. In this study, 22 HvFRFs were detected in barley using bioinformatic analysis from whole genome. According to evolution and conserved motif analysis, the 22 HvFRFs could be divided into subfamilies I and II. Most promoters of subfamily I members contained abscisic acid and methyl jasmonate response elements; however, a large number promoters of subfamily II contained gibberellin and salicylic acid response elements. HvFRF9, one of the members of subfamily II, exhibited a expression advantage in different tissues, and it was most significantly upregulated under drought stress. In-situ PCR revealed that HvFRF9 is mainly expressed in the root epidermal cells, as well as xylem and phloem of roots and leaves, indicating that HvFRF9 may be related to absorption and transportation of water and nutrients. The results of subcellular localization indicated that HvFRF9 was mainly expressed in the nuclei of tobacco epidermal cells and protoplast of arabidopsis. Further, transgenic arabidopsis plants with HvFRF9 overexpression were generated to verify the role of HvFRF9 in drought resistance. Under drought stress, leaf chlorosis and wilting, MDA and O2 - contents were significantly lower, meanwhile, fresh weight, root length, PRO content, and SOD, CAT and POD activities were significantly higher in HvFRF9-overexpressing arabidopsis plants than in wild-type plants. Therefore, overexpression of HvFRF9 could significantly enhance the drought resistance in arabidopsis. These results suggested that HvFRF9 may play a key role in drought resistance in barley by increasing the absorption and transportation of water and the activity of antioxidant enzymes. This study provided a theoretical basis for drought resistance in barley and provided new genes for drought resistance breeding.