Browsing by Author "Pratap Singh, Nagendra"

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Mutation in the Endo-β-1,4-glucanase (KORRIGAN) Is Responsible for Thick Leaf Phenotype in Sorghum
(MDPI AG, 2023-12) Mendu, Lavanya; Jalathge, Gayani; Kaur Dhillon, Kamalpreet; Pratap Singh, Nagendra; Kumar Balasubramanian, Vimal; Fewou, Rebecca; Gitz, Dennis C.; Chen, Junping; Xin, Zhanguo; Mendu, Venugopal
Sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] is an important crop for food, feed, and fuel production. Particularly, sorghum is targeted for cellulosic ethanol production. Extraction of cellulose from cell walls is a key process in cellulosic ethanol production, and understanding the components involved in cellulose synthesis is important for both fundamental and applied research. Despite the significance in the biofuel industry, the genes involved in sorghum cell wall biosynthesis, modification, and degradation have not been characterized. In this study, we have identified and characterized three allelic thick leaf mutants (thl1, thl2, and thl3). Bulked Segregant Analysis sequencing (BSAseq) showed that the causal mutation for the thl phenotype is in endo-1,4-β-glucanase gene (SbKOR1). Consistent with the causal gene function, the thl mutants showed decreased crystalline cellulose content in the stem tissues. The SbKOR1 function was characterized using Arabidopsis endo-1,4-β-glucanase gene mutant (rsw2-1). Complementation of Arabidopsis with SbKOR1 (native Arabidopsis promoter and overexpression by 35S promoter) restored the radial swelling phenotype of rsw2-1 mutant, proving that SbKOR1 functions as endo-1,4-β-glucanase. Overall, the present study has identified and characterized sorghum endo-1,4-β-glucanase gene function, laying the foundation for future research on cell wall biosynthesis and engineering of sorghum for biofuel production.
A “solid” solution for wheat stem sawfly (Hymenoptera: Cephidae) resistance: Genetics, breeding and development of solid stem wheat
(Wiley, 2023-06) Bathini, Akshara; Mendu, Lavanya; Pratap Singh, Nagendra; Cook, Jason; Weaver, David; Sherman, Jamie; Hager, Megan; Mondal, Suchismita; Mendu, Venugopal
Wheat (Triticum spp. L) production needs to be improved to meet the needs of a global population of >9 billion people by 2050. Increasing the productivity of the crop under conditions of abiotic and biotic stress to achieve food security continues to be a challenging proposition. Wheat stem sawfly (WSS) (Cephus cinctus Norton) has been considered as a serious pest of wheat since the late 19th century, causing devastating losses of wheat productivity in the Northern Great Plains of United States and regions of Canada. Developing resistant varieties of wheat that show consistent agronomic performances in varying environments is an effective strategy to manage WSS infestations. To achieve this goal, it is necessary to understand the underlying mechanisms of WSS infestation, damage, subsequent response of the host plant, and resulting yield losses. The review focuses on genetics, breeding, and development of solid stem (SS)-mediated WSS resistance in wheat since it has been the most effective method of genetic resistance in reducing wheat yield losses. Furthermore, the knowledge gaps that need to be addressed to develop an effective resistant cultivar against WSS are also discussed.