#PotatoCultivation #TuberFormation #AgriculturalInnovation #ClimateResilience #NitrogenUseEfficiency #Horizon2020 #ADAPTProject #Europatat #SustainableFarming
Potato cultivation has long fascinated scientists, farmers, and agronomists alike. Recent research, as highlighted in a Europatat press release, delves into the intricate mechanisms governing tuber formation in potatoes. The earliness locus, a key player in this process, undergoes mutations during modern potato breeding, influencing when tubers develop.
According to the findings, the earliness locus is closely tied to CYCLING DOF FACTOR1 (StCDF1), a protein suppressing the expression of potato homologs for CONSTANS (StCOLs). StCOLs activate the SP5G FT-like gene, hindering tuberigen expression and subsequent tuberization. Shorter versions of StCDF1 act as stable repressors, constitutively suppressing StCOLs even during long days, promoting tuberization.
Collaborative efforts between the University of Wageningen and CRAG in Barcelona, utilizing RNA-Seq and DNA binding-affinity purification with high-throughput sequencing (DAP-Seq), revealed StCDF1’s broader role. It not only represses the day duration pathway but also regulates genes associated with nitrogen metabolism, impacting nitrogen use efficiency (NUE). Modern potato cultivars with the earliness locus show decreased NUE, making them more reliant on nitrate fertilizers.
The study proposes potential solutions, suggesting increasing NIA2 copies from other plants or eliminating StCDF1-binding sites from the potato NIA1 promoter to enhance potato nitrate consumption efficiency.
In the larger context, the Horizon 2020 EU project ADAPT, featuring Europatat, aims to decipher signaling pathways for single and combined abiotic stresses. The goal is to select potato cultivars resilient to climate change, providing hope for sustainable and robust potato farming in the face of environmental challenges.
Understanding the molecular intricacies of potato tuber formation not only opens avenues for enhancing nitrate consumption efficiency but also contributes to developing climate-resilient potato cultivars. The ongoing research under projects like ADAPT showcases the commitment to sustainable agriculture, ensuring the potato remains a versatile and resilient crop.
