A sophisticated imaging machine at the University of Saskatchewan is under-used in plant research, says an official with the Canadian Light Source.
The facility has seen greater use by soil chemists, but projects have shown that the technology also has “huge potential” for variety development.
“We took the initiative ourselves to demonstrate to people what the capabilities are,” said Chithra Karunakaran, a staff scientist at the Canadian Light Source, where researchers can use a synchrotron and beams of light to study the makeup of organic matter.
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The centre received $250,000 from the provincial government’s Agriculture Development Fund last year to conduct proof-of-concept experiments “in some of the areas currently least well served,” which includes imaging of plant stems, leaves, root growth and nodulation.
The information can help breeders identify genetic markers for new varieties, introducing greater resistance to disease and stress, improving crop performance and maintaining or improving yields.
Karunakaran said projects have included studies of fusarium head blight in wheat and ascochyta blight in chickpeas. A canola project is also in the works.
A recently published study from the facility looked at pea varieties and heat tolerance using a “mid-infrared beam line” to study pollen grains and germination in two varieties, CDC Golden and CDC Sage.
“We can look at the biochemistry of these pollens and tell people why this one cultivar fails, whereas the other cultivar does not,” said Karunakaran.
“The combination of beam lights at CLS, it’s very unique in the world, which is very good for agricultural research.”
Researchers say the tests have helped identify why CDC Golden is more susceptible to heat stress. The protein and lipid content of pea pollen grains may be indicators of tolerance, they added.
“Genotypes with pollen that has heat resistance have maintained pollen vigour and increased pollen germination, allowing for a greater success in fertilization,” the study said.
More research is planned to further examine lipid chemistry in pea varieties, which could eventually find its way to the field. Researchers identify heat stress as an important trait for the crop, considering the challenges expected from climate change.
