Reducing stomatal density in barley improves drought tolerance without impacting on yield

Jonathan Hughes; Christopher Hepworth; Christian Dutton; Jessica A. Dunn; Lee Hunt; Jennifer Stephens; Robbie Waugh; Duncan D. Cameron; Julie E. Gray

doi:10.1104/pp.16.01844

Reducing stomatal density in barley improves drought tolerance without impacting on yield

Jonathan Hughes, Christopher Hepworth, Christian Dutton, Jessica A. Dunn, Lee Hunt, Jennifer Stephens, Robbie Waugh, Duncan D. Cameron, Julie E. Gray (Lead / Corresponding author)

Plant Sciences

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

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Abstract

The epidermal patterning factor (EPF) family of secreted signalling peptides regulate the frequency of stomatal development in model dicot and basal land plant species. Here we identify and manipulate the expression of a barley ortholog and demonstrate that when overexpressed HvEPF1 limits entry to, and progression through, the stomatal development pathway. Despite substantial reductions in leaf gas exchange, barley plants with approximately half of the normal number of stomata show no reductions in grain yield. In addition, HvEPF1OE barley lines exhibit significantly enhanced water use efficiency, drought tolerance and soil water conservation properties. Our results demonstrate the potential of manipulating stomatal frequency for the protection and optimisation of cereal crop yields under future drier environments.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	776-787
Number of pages	12
Journal	Plant Physiology
Volume	174
Issue number	2
Early online date	1 May 2017
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1104/pp.16.01844
Publication status	Published - Jun 2017

Keywords

Journal article

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1104/pp.16.01844Licence: CC BY

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Cite this

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AU - Hughes, Jonathan

AU - Hepworth, Christopher

AU - Dutton, Christian

AU - Dunn, Jessica A.

AU - Hunt, Lee

AU - Stephens, Jennifer

AU - Waugh, Robbie

AU - Cameron, Duncan D.

AU - Gray, Julie E.

N1 - We acknowledge the BBSRC, EPSRC, the Gatsby Charitable Foundation and the Grantham Foundation for funding.

PY - 2017/6

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AB - The epidermal patterning factor (EPF) family of secreted signalling peptides regulate the frequency of stomatal development in model dicot and basal land plant species. Here we identify and manipulate the expression of a barley ortholog and demonstrate that when overexpressed HvEPF1 limits entry to, and progression through, the stomatal development pathway. Despite substantial reductions in leaf gas exchange, barley plants with approximately half of the normal number of stomata show no reductions in grain yield. In addition, HvEPF1OE barley lines exhibit significantly enhanced water use efficiency, drought tolerance and soil water conservation properties. Our results demonstrate the potential of manipulating stomatal frequency for the protection and optimisation of cereal crop yields under future drier environments.

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DO - 10.1104/pp.16.01844

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JF - Plant Physiology

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Reducing stomatal density in barley improves drought tolerance without impacting on yield

Abstract

Keywords

UN SDGs

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