Genetic insights into elephantgrass persistence for bioenergy purpose

• Published in: PloS one Vol. 13; no. 9; p. e0203818
• Main Authors: Rocha, João Romero do Amaral Santos de Carvalho, Marçal, Tiago de Souza, Salvador, Felipe Vicentino, da Silva, Adriel Carlos, Machado, Juarez Campolina, Carneiro, Pedro Crescêncio Souza
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Public Library of Science 13-09-2018; Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subjects: Agricultural production; Biological effects; Biology and Life Sciences; Biomass; Biomass energy; Breeding; Cloning; Crop yield; Crops; Engineering and Technology; Fertilizers; Gene expression; Gene pool; Genes; Genetic diversity; Genetic variability; Genomes; Genotypes; Nitrogen fixation; Pennisetum purpureum; Physical Sciences; Plant breeding; Raw materials; Regression analysis; Regression models; Renewable energy; Research and Analysis Methods; Brazil
• ISSN: 1932-6203; 1932-6203
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0203818

Persistence may be defined as high sustained yield over multi-harvest. Genetic insights about persistence are essential to ensure the success of breeding programs and any biomass-based project. This paper focuses on assessing the biomass yield persistence for bioenergy purpose of 100 elephantgrass clones measured in six growth seasons in Brazil. To assess the clones' persistence, an index based on random regression models and genotype-ideotype distance was proposed. Results suggested the existence of wide genetic variability between elephantgrass clones, and that the yield trajectories along the harvests generate genetic insights into elephantgrass clones' persistence and G x E interaction. A gene pool that acts over the biomass yield (regardless of the harvest) was detected, as well as other gene pools, which show differences on genes expression (these genes are the major responsible for clones' persistence). The lower and higher clones' persistence was discussed based on genome dosage effect and natural biological nitrogen fixation ability applied to bioenergy industry. The huge potential of energy crops necessarily is associated with genetic insights into persistence, so just this way, breeding programs could breed a new cultivar that fulfills the bioenergy industries.