Although seed and pod traits are important for peanut breeding, little is known about the inheritance of these traits. A recombinant inbred line (RIL) population of 156 lines from a cross of Tifrunner x NC 3033 was genotyped with the Axiom_Arachis1 SNP array and SSRs to generate a genetic map composed of 1524 markers in 29 linkage groups (LG). The genetic positions of markers were compared with their physical positions on the peanut genome to confirm the validity of the linkage map and explore the distribution of recombination and potential chromosomal rearrangements. This linkage map was then used to identify Quantitative Trait Loci (QTL) for seed and pod traits that were phenotyped over three consecutive years for the purpose of developing trait-associated markers for breeding. Forty-nine QTL were identified in 14 LG for seed size index, kernel percentage, seed weight, pod weight, single-kernel, double-kernel, pod area and pod density. Twenty QTL demonstrated phenotypic variance explained (PVE) greater than 10% and eight more than 20%. Of note, seven of the eight major QTL for pod area, pod weight and seed weight (PVE >20% variance) were attributed to NC 3033 and located in a single linkage group, LG B06_1. In contrast, the most consistent QTL for kernel percentage were located on A07/B07 and derived from Tifrunner.

Among abiotic stresses, drought is the most common reducer of crop yields. The slow-wilting soybean genotype PI 416937 is somewhat robust to water deficit and has been used previously to map the trait in a bi-parental population. Since drought stress response is a complex biological process, whole genome transcriptome analysis was performed to obtain a deeper understanding of the drought response in soybean. Contrasting data from PI 416937 and the cultivar ‘Benning’, we developed a classification system to identify genes that were either responding to water-deficit in both genotypes or that had a genotype x environment (GxE) response. In spite of very different wilting phenotypes, 90% of classifiable genes had either constant expression in both genotypes (33%) or very similar response profiles (E genes, 57%). By further classifying E genes based on expression profiles, we were able to discern the functional specificity of transcriptional responses at particular stages of water-deficit, noting both the well-known reduction in photosynthesis genes as well as the less understood up-regulation of the protein transport pathway. Two percent of classifiable genes had a well-defined GxE response, many of which are located within slow-wilting QTLs. We consider these strong candidates for possible causal genes underlying PI 416937’s unique drought avoidance strategy. There is a general and functionally significant transcriptional response to water deficit that involves not only known pathways, such as down-regulation of photosynthesis, but also up-regulation of protein transport and chromatin remodeling. Genes that show a genotypic difference are more likely to show an environmental response than genes that are constant between genotypes. In this study, at least five genes that clearly exhibited a genotype x environment response fell within known QTL and are very good candidates for further research into slow-wilting.

Blanchability is an often overlooked, but important trait for peanut breeding. The process of blanching, removing the skin, is an important step in the processing of raw nuts for manufacturing. Under strong genetic control and requiring considerable effort to phenotype, blanchability is conducive for marker-assisted selection. We used QTL sequencing (QTL-seq) to identify two QTLs related to blanchability using previously phenotyped breeding populations. To validate the QTLs, we show that two markers can select for significantly increased blanchability in an independent recombinant inbred line (RIL) population. Two wild introgressions from Arachis cardenasii conferring strong disease resistance were segregated in the population and were found to negatively impact blanchability. Finally, we show that by utilizing highly accurate sequence analysis pipelines, low coverage sequencing can be used to genotype whole populations with increased power and precision. This study highlights the potential to mine breeding data to identify and develop useful markers for genetic improvement programs, and provide powerful tools for breeding for processing and quality traits.

Premise: Wild species are strategic sources of valuable traits to be introduced into crops through hybridization. For peanut, the 33 currently described wild species in the section Arachis are particularly important because of their sexual compatibility with the domesticated species, Arachis hypogaea. Although numerous wild accessions are carefully preserved in seed banks, their morphological similarities pose challenges to routine classification.Methods: Using a high‐density array, we genotyped 272 accessions encompassing all diploid species in section Arachis. Detailed relationships between accessions and species were revealed through phylogenetic analyses and interpreted using the expertise of germplasm collectors and curators.Results: Two main groups were identified: one with A genome species and the other with B, D, F, G, and K genomes. Species groupings generally showed clear boundaries. Structure within groups was informative, for instance, revealing the history of the proto‐domesticate A. stenosperma. However, some groupings suggested multiple sibling species. Others were polyphyletic, indicating the need for taxonomic revision. Annual species were better defined than perennial ones, revealing limitations in applying classical and phylogenetic species concepts to the genus. We suggest new species assignments for several accessions.Conclusions: Curated by germplasm collectors and curators, this analysis of species relationships lays the foundation for future species descriptions, classification of unknown accessions, and germplasm use for peanut improvement. It supports the conservation and curation of current germplasm, both critical tasks considering the threats to the genus posed by habitat loss and the current restrictions on new collections and germplasm transfer.

Although seed and pod traits are important for peanut breeding, little is known about the inheritance of these traits. A recombinant inbred line (RIL) population of 156 lines from a cross of Tifrunner x NC 3033 was genotyped with the Axiom_Arachis1 SNP array and SSRs to generate a genetic map composed of 1524 markers in 29 linkage groups (LG). The genetic positions of markers were compared with their physical positions on the peanut genome to confirm the validity of the linkage map and explorethe distribution of recombination and potential chromosomal rearrangements. These traits were phenotyped over three consecutive years for the purpose of developing trait-associated markers for breeding. Forty-nine QTL were identified in 14 LG for seed size index, kernel percentage, seed weight, pod weight, single-kernel, double-kernel, pod area and pod density. Twenty QTL demonstrated phenotypic variance explained (PVE) greater than 10% and eight more than 20%. Of note, seven of the eight major QTL for pod area, pod weight and seed weight (PVE >20% variance) were attributed to NC 3033 and located in a single linkage group, LG B06_1. In contrast, the most consistent QTL for kernel percentage were located on A07/B07 and derived from Tifrunner.

Mitochondrial and plastid functions depend on coordinated expression of proteins encoded by genomic compartments that have radical differences in copy number of organellar and nuclear genomes. In polyploids, doubling of the nuclear genome may add challenges to maintaining balanced expression of proteins involved in cytonuclear interactions. Here, we use ribo-depleted RNA-seq to analyze transcript abundance for nuclear and organellar genomes in leaf tissue from four different polyploid angiosperms and their close diploid relatives. We find that, even though plastid genomes contain <1% of the number of genes in the nuclear genome, they generate the majority (69.9–82.3%) of mRNA transcripts in the cell. Mitochondrial genes are responsible for a much smaller percentage (1.3–3.7%) of the leaf mRNA pool but still produce much higher transcript abundances per gene compared to nuclear genome. Nuclear genes encoding proteins that functionally interact with mitochondrial or plastid gene products exhibit mRNA expression levels that are consistently more than ten-fold lower than their organellar counterparts, indicating an extreme cytonuclear imbalance at the RNA level despite the predominance of equimolar interactions at the protein level. Nevertheless, interacting nuclear and organellar genes show strongly correlated transcript abundances across functional categories, suggesting that the observed mRNA stoichiometric imbalance does not preclude coordination of cytonuclear expression. Finally, we show that nuclear genome doubling does not alter the cytonuclear expression ratios observed in diploid relatives in consistent or systematic ways, indicating that successful polyploid plants are able to compensate for cytonuclear perturbations associated with nuclear genome doubling.