Leveraging Phenotypic Plasticity in Seed Oil Content for Climate-Adapted Breeding and Production

Abstract

Phenotypic plasticity is the property of an organism to change in response to different environments. Understanding and leveraging crop phenotypic plasticity is crucial for mitigating threats caused by climate change. Here, we assessed phenotypic plasticity in multi-environment trials over 4 years, using 505 inbred lines from a Brassica napus genetic diversity panel. The variation in seed oil content (SOC) plasticity was primarily associated with three environmental indices: precipitation, diurnal temperature range, and ultraviolet B during the flowering or pod-filling stage, alongside five major plasticity genes. Leveraging this information with climate records, we developed a predictive model to estimate SOC for various planting dates in seven major production regions and validated our predictions in new environments. As climate change necessitates new breeding materials with improved genetics, we examined the genetic potentials of existing lines for enhanced SOC in future climates. Using projected environmental data and the identified major plasticity genes, we predicted SOC of genotypes across production regions. We also identified an optimal haplotype, a specific combination of alleles, for each production region to sustainably produce high SOC for future climates. This study offers insights and selection methods that contribute to mitigating the adverse effects of climate change on agriculture.