Fostering breeding innovation for local adaptation in Ethiopian barley with data-driven participatory methods combining omics and farmer opinions

April 14, 2025 @ 12:15 pm to 01:15 pm

Matteo Dell'acqua, Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies, Pisa, Italy

108 Wartik Laboratory
University Park

Abstract:
Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) is a cornerstone crop for global production systems, including those of smallholder farmers, who cultivate it in diverse and challenging environments in sub-Saharan Africa. These farmers select and maintain landraces with high potential for local adaptation that is seldom tapped by breeding programs. In this seminar I will tell a story of how data-driven methods can be used to probe local agrobiodiversity and accelerate the development of locally adapted genotypes using Ethiopian barley as a case study. The story builds on the integration of genomic methods, phenomics, climate modelling, all combined with participatory methods involving local farmers and barley growers from the Ethiopian highlands.

The starting point was the genotypic characterization of a large collection of Ethiopian barley landraces, and the leveraging of their geographic distribution to probe genomic regions associated with pedoclimatic adaptation. These regions were described in relation to current and projected climate scenarios and led to the identification of loci known to be involved in barley phenology. Selected genotypes from the collection were selected to initiate the development of a multiparental mapping population composed by five 4-way multi-parent advanced generation intercross (MAGIC) families sharing a common a parental haplotype, a interconnected MAGIC (iMAGIC). This population aims at providing novel recombinations for barley pre-breeding as well as a tool to provide high-definition quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping. We genotyped 500 iMAGIC lines with ddRAD sequencing, providing about 27K high-quality SNPs. The RILs were also phenotyped in the main cropping season of 2022 and 2023 at two locations in Ethiopia, leading to the identification of numerous QTLs some of which will be described in the seminar.

Two aspects of the iMAGIC characterization are particularly relevant and will be described in detail. The first is the open-field phenotyping of photosynthetic capacity in the iMAGIC population using low-cost handheld devices providing indirect measures of photosystem II (ΦPSII) efficiency. The relative data, appropriately modelled to account for large environmental variation including from light fluctuations, shows that is possible to reliably map photosynthesis QTL that may be followed by breeding programs even in low-income countries. The second aspect is that of the involvement of farmers, that provided an evaluation of the genetic materials using a quantitative score reflecting their appreciation for specific traits of barley. These measures, collected with participatory methods, can be combined with genomic data to map QTL for farmers’ appreciation that can be incorporated in breeding decision pipelines.

Our approach and methodology highlight the potential of integrating interdisciplinary approaches to support breeding decisions in smallholder farming systems. The findings underscore the value of farmer engagement and field-based assessments in developing barley varieties that not only perform well in diverse agroecological conditions but are also aligned with local preferences and needs.

About the Speaker:
Matteo Dell’Acqua is a Professor of Crop Genetics at Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna (SSSA) in Pisa, Italy. A plant geneticist by training, his current research is focused on developing data-driven methods to foster the sustainable intensification of farming systems. Prof. Dell’Acqua leads an international and diverse research group developing transdisciplinary approaches connecting genomics, socioeconomics, and climate sciences with a specific focus on smallholder farming systems. Their research methods include DNA sequencing and bioinformatics, climate modelling, quantitative genetics, and participatory methods for crop improvement. Prof. Dell’Acqua has an interest in genetic and cultural agrobiodiversity, and his research explores the connection between plants and people using crops including maize, wheat, teff, barley, sorghum, and cowpea. His team is engaged in training a new generation of researchers with a multidisciplinary background, committed to research for impact. He published 45 papers which have been cited over 1,300 times. At SSSA, he is also the Director of the Institute or Plant Sciences, a research hub connecting plant physiology, genetics, and agroecology to develop more resilient and sustainable primary production systems.

Contact

Jesse Lasky
jrl35@psu.edu