Translational Genomic Approaches for Genetic Modification of Plant Architecture

Over the past century, genetic modifications to plant architecture have enabled remarkable increases in the productivity of a number of cereal and field crops. For example, reduced tillering, dwarfing, and upright leaf angles have led to higher density cropping. In contrast, similar efforts in many other crops such as tree fruit/nuts have lagged behind. Analagous improvements to tree growth habit could enable high density orchards that are more amenable to mechanization. Currently, there is limited information about the genes and signaling pathways responsible for modulating key architectural features in plants such as branch angle, apical control, and tropic responses. Here we used peach as a model system due to its high quality genome and availability of genetically characterized architecture traits such as pillar, dwarf, and weeping. Using a Next-Gen sequencing bulk segregant method, a handful of genes that control key vegetative developmental traits were identified and functionally characterized. By manipulating expression of these same genes in a related fruit tree species, plum, we were able to show that genetic and genomic information can be translated into technologies that enable rational design of tree shoot and root architecture. Studies in model plants further revealed that many of the genes controlling plant architecture are functionally conserved and provided insights into their potential mechanisms of action.