Journal Article

Interactions between genetics and environment shape Camelina seed oil composition

Scott, Trey, Mosyakin, Sergei L., Lee, Amy Yoonjin, Olsen, Kenneth M., Brock, Jordan R.

2020

Overview

Background Camelina sativa (gold-of-pleasure) is a traditional European oilseed crop and emerging biofuel source with high levels of desirable fatty acids. A twentieth century germplasm bottleneck depleted genetic diversity in the crop, leading to recent interest in using wild relatives for crop improvement. However, little is known about seed oil content and genetic diversity in wild Camelina species. Results We used gas chromatography, environmental niche assessment, and genotyping-by-sequencing to assess seed fatty acid composition, environmental distributions, and population structure in C. sativa and four congeners, with a primary focus on the crop’s wild progenitor, C. microcarpa. Fatty acid composition differed significantly between Camelina species, which occur in largely non-overlapping environments. The crop progenitor comprises three genetic subpopulations with discrete fatty acid compositions. Environment, subpopulation, and population-by-environment interactions were all important predictors for seed oil in these wild populations. A complementary growth chamber experiment using C. sativa confirmed that growing conditions can dramatically affect both oil quantity and fatty acid composition in Camelina . Conclusions Genetics, environmental conditions, and genotype-by-environment interactions all contribute to fatty acid variation in Camelina species. These insights suggest careful breeding may overcome the unfavorable FA compositions in oilseed crops that are predicted with warming climates.

• Publisher: BioMed Central,BioMed Central Ltd,Springer Nature B.V,BMC
• Subject: Accuracy / Adaptation / Adaptation, Physiological / Agriculture / Biodiversity / Biofuels / Biomass energy / Biomedical and Life Sciences / Biosynthesis / Brassicaceae - genetics / Brassicaceae - metabolism / Breeding / Camelina / Camelina sativa / Climate / Climate change / Climate prediction / Composition / Congeners / Crop improvement / Crops / Crops, Agricultural - genetics / Crops, Agricultural - metabolism / Domestication / Environmental association / Environmental associations / Environmental conditions / Europe / Fatty acid / Fatty acid composition / Fatty acids / Gas chromatography / Gene Expression Regulation, Plant / Gene-Environment Interaction / Genetic diversity / genetic variation / Genetics / Genetics and crop biotechnology / Genomes / Genotype / genotype-environment interaction / Genotype-environment interactions / Genotypes / Genotyping / genotyping by sequencing / Germplasm / Global warming / Growth chambers / Life Sciences / lipid content / Niches / Oil content / Oils & fats / Oilseed crops / Oilseeds / Phenotypic plasticity / Plant Oils - metabolism / Plant Proteins - genetics / Plant Proteins - metabolism / Plant Sciences / Plants, Genetically Modified - metabolism / Population / Population structure / Research Article / seed oils / Seeds / Seeds - chemistry / Seeds - genetics / Seeds - metabolism / Species / Species diversity / Subpopulations / Tree Biology