The legume family has more than 19,500 species. Nitrogen fixation by root-nodule bacteria has been well-characterized in legumes. Therefore, legume crops have been used as rotational species in cropping systems to improve soil fertility and increase grain yield and protein content. Some legume crops, such as lupin, were domesticated and grown around 50 years ago. However, only about 15 species of grain legumes and 50 forage legumes are commercially grown in the world.
Certain properties of wild-type legumes, including traits related to agronomy, seed quality, and adaptability, have helped breeders and farmers adopt the use of legumes in agriculture. However, the genetics of these traits, which are important for domestication, are still unknown in some legume species. In this Research Topic, we hope to uncover some of the genes associated with certain phenotypes, including low alkaloid content, pod shattering, flowering time, vernalization, growth habit, seed dormancy, seed coat water permeability, pod length, seed number per pod, flower color, nitrogen fixation, and abiotic stress tolerance (heat, frost, drought, salt and low pH). A better understanding of the genes related to domestication will facilitate legume crop breeding and utilize other wild legume species.
This Research Topic welcomes the following sub-topics:
· Genome assembly in legumes
· High density genetic map construction in legumes
· QTL mapping, association mapping, and cloning of domesticated genes in legumes
· Domesticated gene evolution in legumes
· RNAseq analysis associated with domesticated traits in legumes
· Gene function and interaction of domesticated genes in legumes
The legume family has more than 19,500 species. Nitrogen fixation by root-nodule bacteria has been well-characterized in legumes. Therefore, legume crops have been used as rotational species in cropping systems to improve soil fertility and increase grain yield and protein content. Some legume crops, such as lupin, were domesticated and grown around 50 years ago. However, only about 15 species of grain legumes and 50 forage legumes are commercially grown in the world.
Certain properties of wild-type legumes, including traits related to agronomy, seed quality, and adaptability, have helped breeders and farmers adopt the use of legumes in agriculture. However, the genetics of these traits, which are important for domestication, are still unknown in some legume species. In this Research Topic, we hope to uncover some of the genes associated with certain phenotypes, including low alkaloid content, pod shattering, flowering time, vernalization, growth habit, seed dormancy, seed coat water permeability, pod length, seed number per pod, flower color, nitrogen fixation, and abiotic stress tolerance (heat, frost, drought, salt and low pH). A better understanding of the genes related to domestication will facilitate legume crop breeding and utilize other wild legume species.
This Research Topic welcomes the following sub-topics:
· Genome assembly in legumes
· High density genetic map construction in legumes
· QTL mapping, association mapping, and cloning of domesticated genes in legumes
· Domesticated gene evolution in legumes
· RNAseq analysis associated with domesticated traits in legumes
· Gene function and interaction of domesticated genes in legumes