Below-Ground Perspectives on Biodiversity: Root systems, Comparative Genomics, and Domestication of North American Grapevines

Genetic diversity is the foundation of evolution in nature and in domesticated systems. Recent advances in genomic data generation and ways of looking at plant anatomy have advanced current understanding of adaptation to a range of environmental conditions. In plant species, the vast majority of work has focused on observable variation in above-ground parts of the plant. Less well-known is variation in the below-ground portions of the plant, the root system. Using native North American grapevines as a model, the proposed study will assess 1) variation among grapevine species in root structures; 2) genomic differences among species that have evolved to inhabit unique soil types; and 3) effects of human selection on root morphology and genomic variation. This project will generate germplasm resources, anatomical data, and whole genome data from three wild grapevine species and their hybrid derivatives. Proposed work will advance understanding of natural variation and evolution in the less well-known half of plant diversity, the root system. Moreover, the work will highlight the importance of native North American crop wild relatives, developing an expanded vision for conservation of crop wild relatives that incorporates below-ground, as well as above-ground, variation in native species relevant to agriculture. This work is co-funded by Saint Louis University.

Research Team

Allison Miller, Saint Louis University
Ken Olsen, WashU (Biology)
Alex Harkess, Danforth Plant Science Center
Laura Klein, Saint Louis University