CGIAR submitted this report in response to an open request from the Plant Treaty Secretary, for submissions regarding, a) contracting parties’ and stakeholders’ capacity building needs for accessing and using digital sequence information (DSI)/genomic sequence data (GSD) and b) ‘technical assistance’ and ‘actions taken’ by stakeholders (including CGIAR) ‘to reduce the existing gap on capacity regarding DSI/GSD’. The primary objective of this paper is to respond to the second part of the request by sharing information about how CGIAR Centers and Initiatives have been assisting organizations outside CGIAR to access, generate, share, analyse, and use DSI for the conservation of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture (PRGFA) and for the use of PGRFA in pre-breeding and breeding. This paper does not provide an exhaustive account of all of the Centers’ relevant activities, but it does provide a general overview of the kinds of activities in which the Centers have been engaged. CGIAR very much appreciates the Governing Body’s initiative, as expressed in Resolution 16/2022, to ask the Plant Treaty Secretariat to gather and synthesize information about both demand for, and supply of, capacity strengthening related to DSI linked to plant genetic resources for food and agriculture, with the overall objective of working to close the capacity gap between developed and developing countries. It is our hope that, based on the outcomes of this exercise, CGIAR will be able to further adapt and improve its own approach to capacity sharing in response to needs prioritized by the Governing Body.
Tag: Genomics
Morphological and phylogenetic appraisal of Ophioceras (Ophioceraceae, Magnaporthales)
Ophioceras is accommodated in the monotypic family Ophioceraceae (Magnaporthales, Sordariomycetes), and the genus is delimited based on molecular data. During an ongoing survey of bambusicolous fungi in southwest China, we collected a submerged decaying branch of bamboo from Sichuan Province, China and an Ophioceras species occurring on this substrate was observed and isolated. An Ophioceras taxon was delimited based on morphological characteristics and combined LSU, RPB1 and ITS sequence analyses and is described as Ophioceras sichuanense sp. nov. The species formed a well-supported clade basal to Ophioceras (100% ML, 1.00 PP). Based on the updated phylogenetic tree of Magnaporthales, Ceratosphaerella castillensis (generic type) and C. rhizomorpha formed a clade within Ophioceras and morphologically resemble Ophioceras. Therefore, Ceratosphaerella is synonymized under Ophioceras. The phylogenetic relationships of Ophioceras are discussed in relation to morphological similarities of genera in Magnaporthales. The generic circumscription of Ophioceras is emended.
Genomics studies for trait improvement in four important tree species: Current status and future prospects
Trees hold the lifeline of the earth’s biodiversity and serve as a commercial entity delivering broad applications to humankind. In addition to being used as wood and timber, trees are a source of secondary metabolites, medicinal compounds, and other derivatives with high commercial value. Thus, the scope for improvement of these traits and quality traits (insect/pest resistance, wood quality, etc.) has always been demanding; however, limited progress has been made compared to other crop species. Trait improvement has always been challenging in trees owing to several practical difficulties, but genomics has enabled the precise identification of genetic determinants of these traits and provided tools and approaches to tweak them for enhancing the traits of interest. Next-generation sequencing (NGS) has expedited genomics and transcriptomics research by facilitating the sequencing of genomes and transcriptomes, identifying genes, profiling the regulation of their expression, and constructing gene regulatory networks. Also, NGS has enabled the development of large-scale genome-wide molecular markers for high-throughput genotyping applications, which are useful in breeding for desirable traits. As it allows improved understanding of the gene function and its network at different developmental stages of trees with reference to an environmental stimulus can further help the breeder to enhance the knowledge on spanning genotype and phenotype. Thus, the potential of genomics in expediting trait improvement has been well realized; however, its application in tree species, particularly in commercially important ones including Tectona grandis, Azadirachta indica, Casuarina spp., and Salix spp, requires further research. Given this, the present review enumerates the progress made in genomics research on these four species and provides the roadmap for their trait improvement toward enhancing productivity and ecosystem services.