Understanding genotypic variation in potato hybrid populations of root morphological and anatomical characteristics – identifying traits for a climate resilient potato.

The project will have three main objectives with experimentation to; 1) elucidate the underlying physiology of the potato rooting system, 2) screen for genotypic variability in any identified traits for enhanced resource capture and 3) test the performance of genotypes with greatly differing rooting phenotypes in simulated future stress environments.

Experimentation to elucidate the function of the different root types will concentrate on the use of tracers for water and common macronutrients using O18 stable isotope probing or heavy water and imaging experiments (PET, tracing labelled amino acids) to ascertain the delivery of resources from different roots to tuber development via stolons. Such experiments can be followed-up with focused Synchrotron imaging/spectrometry to validate physiological findings with additional external funding for beam time.

Once physiological differences between root types have been established, the candidate will screen germplasm provided by the commercial partner (Solynta) for the identified traits of interest e.g. stolon root length, suberin deposition and anatomical traits using a combination of conventional root analysis methods and cutting-edge techniques available to the partners from the University of Nottingham at the Hounsfield facility, including X-Ray CT to image root system architectural traits in-situand LAT (Laser Ablation Tomography) to phenotype anatomical traits such as cell file number, cell type, size and distribution, suberin deposition and aerenchyma formation. This will also involve some software development using deep machine learning approaches for image analysis and data extraction.

Finally, the project will validate the function of the phenotypes identified by comparing extreme varieties in their ability to capture resources in simulated future environments. Using the newly commissioned Advanced Plant Growth Centre at Hutton, the candidate will test the selected germplasm under future climate scenarios with variation in water availability, increased atmospheric temperature and elevated CO2allowing quantification of gene expression profiles in a variety of environments. Physiological traits identified in the project will then be available to potentially identify genetic markers for future breeding programmes.