Genetic variation associated with PPO-inhibiting herbicide tolerance in sorghum

PLoS One. 2020 Oct 14;15(10):e0233254. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0233254. eCollection 2020.

Abstract

Herbicide application is crucial for weed management in most crop production systems, but for sorghum herbicide options are limited. Sorghum is sensitive to residual protoporphyrinogen oxidase (PPO)-inhibiting herbicides, such as fomesafen, and a long re-entry period is required before sorghum can be planted after its application. Improving sorghum for tolerance to such residual herbicides would allow for increased sorghum production and the expansion of herbicide options for growers. In this study, we observed sorghum tolerance to residual fomesafen. To investigate the underlying tolerance mechanism a genome-wide association mapping study was conducted using field-collected sorghum biomass panel (SBP) data, and a greenhouse assay was developed to confirm the field phenotypes. A total of 26 significant SNPs (FDR<0.05), spanning a 215.3 kb region on chromosome 3, were detected. The ten most significant SNPs included two in genic regions (Sobic.003G136800, and Sobic.003G136900) and eight SNPs in the intergenic region encompassing the genes Sobic.003G136700, Sobic.003G136800, Sobic.003G137000, Sobic.003G136900, and Sobic.003G137100. The gene Sobic.003G137100 (PPXI), which encodes the PPO1 enzyme, one of the targets of PPO-inhibiting herbicides, was located 12kb downstream of the significant SNP S03_13152838. We found that PPXI is highly conserved in sorghum and expression does not significantly differ between tolerant and sensitive sorghum lines. Our results suggest that PPXI most likely does not underlie the observed herbicide tolerance. Instead, the mechanism underlying herbicide tolerance in the SBP is likely metabolism-based resistance, possibly regulated by the action of multiple genes. Further research is necessary to confirm candidate genes and their functions.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Benzamides / pharmacology*
  • Biomass
  • Chromosome Mapping
  • Chromosomes, Plant / genetics
  • Genome-Wide Association Study
  • Genotyping Techniques
  • Herbicide Resistance*
  • Plant Proteins / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Plant Proteins / genetics
  • Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide*
  • Protoporphyrinogen Oxidase / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Protoporphyrinogen Oxidase / genetics*
  • Sorghum / drug effects
  • Sorghum / genetics
  • Sorghum / growth & development*

Substances

  • Benzamides
  • Plant Proteins
  • Protoporphyrinogen Oxidase
  • fomesafen

Associated data

  • figshare/10.6084/m9.figshare.11551242

Grants and funding

This research is supported by the Department of Energy (DOE; www.energy.gov/): Office of Biological Research through the grant DE-SC0012400 to PJB and TMJ. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.