Phenotypic variation from waterlogging in multiple perennial ryegrass varieties under climate change conditions

Abstract

Identifying how various components of climate change will influence ecosystems and vegetation subsistence will be fundamental to mitigate negative effects. Climate change-induced waterlogging is understudied in comparison to temperature and CO2. Grasslands are especially vulnerable through the connection with global food security, with perennial ryegrass dominating many flood-prone pasturelands in North-western Europe. We investigated the effect of long-term waterlogging on phenotypic responses of perennial ryegrass using four common varieties (one diploid and three tetraploid) grown in atmospherically controlled growth chambers during two months of peak growth. The climate treatments compare ambient climatological conditions in North-western Europe to the RCP8.5 climate change scenario in 2050 (+2°C and 550 ppm CO2). At the end of each month multiple phenotypic plant measurements were made, the plants were harvested and then allowed to grow back. Using image analysis and principal component analysis (PCA) methodologies, we assessed how multiple predictors (phenotypic, environmental, genotypic, and temporal) influenced overall plant performance, productivity and phenotypic responses. Long-term waterlogging was found to reduce leaf-color intensity, with younger plants having purple hues indicative of anthocyanins. Plant performance and yield was lower in waterlogged plants, with tetraploid varieties coping better than the diploid one. The climate change treatment was found to reduce color intensities further. Flooding was found to reduce plant productivity via reductions in color pigments and root proliferation. These effects will have negative consequences for global food security brought on by increased frequency of extreme weather events and flooding. Our imaging analysis approach to estimate effects of waterlogging can be incorporated into plant health diagnostics tools via remote sensing and drone-technology.

Optimized tetraploidization strategies in tissue culture for Lolium, Festuca, and Festulolium

“…Ryegrasses, Lolium spp., are among the most prominent fodder grass species in European grasslands and are well appreciated for their high yield, productivity, and digestibility (Chaves et al 2009). However, their sensitivity to drought, which is accompanied by yield losses, is challenging the usability of current Lolium cultivars, given that the frequency of drought periods is expected to increase due to climate change (Lee et al 2019, Frisk et al 2022. Festuca spp.…”