Overcoming roadblocks for in vitro nurseries in plants: induction of meiosis

Abstract

Efforts to increase genetic gains in breeding programs of flowering plants depend on making genetic crosses. Time to flowering, which can take months to decades depending on the species, can be a limiting factor in such breeding programs. It has been proposed that the rate of genetic gain can be increased by reducing the time between generations by circumventing flowering through the in vitro induction of meiosis. In this review, we assess technologies and approaches that may offer a path towards meiosis induction, the largest current bottleneck for in vitro plant breeding. Studies in non-plant, eukaryotic organisms indicate that the in vitro switch from mitotic cell division to meiosis is inefficient and occurs at very low rates. Yet, this has been achieved with mammalian cells by the manipulation of a limited number of genes. Therefore, to experimentally identify factors that switch mitosis to meiosis in plants, it is necessary to develop a high-throughput system to evaluate a large number of candidate genes and treatments, each using large numbers of cells, few of which may gain the ability to induce meiosis.

Tools and Techniques to Accelerate Crop Breeding

“…Many crops, when grown under natural conditions, are limited to only one to two generations per year. This includes the use of winter nurseries, which advance breeding by allowing annual crops to produce additional generations per year [ 12 ]. This results in the need for several years to develop new cultivars of crops.…”

“…LED fixtures normally require less electric power. They also maximize photon capture efficiency, which is essential in increasing the plant growth rate, thereby increasing generation turnover in some plants [ 12 ] ( Figure 2 ).…”

A cell-based fluorescent system and statistical framework to detect meiosis-like induction in plants

“…These gametes can then be fused to make new genotypes. Meiotic underpinnings have been investigated in numerous studies in the past (reviewed by Cook et al., 2023 ), but factors leading to efficient in vitro meiosis induction in plants are yet to be identified. In a mammalian system, in vitro meiosis has been accomplished at rates around 1% ( Medrano et al., 2016 ).…”

“…Additionally, previous studies with plants have identified factors that reduce chromosomes to a haploid state in vitro in a meiosis-like fashion ( Yoshida and Yamaguchi, 1973 ; Chen et al., 2000 ; Yihua et al., 2001 ), however, the efficiency at which this is done is unknown ( Yan et al., 2017 ). Thus far, in vitro nurseries (IVN; De La Fuente et al., 2013 ; Cook et al., 2023 ) or cycling of gametes in vitro (COGIV; Murray et al., 2013 ), are only concepts. If we can learn how to trigger meiosis induction in vitro , we are closer to making these ideas a reality.…”

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“…Additionally, previous studies with plants have identified factors that reduce chromosomes to a haploid state in vitro in a meiosis-like fashion (Yoshida and Yamaguchi, 1973;Chen et al, 2000;Yihua et al, 2001), however, the efficiency at which this is done is unknown (Yan et al, 2017). Thus far, in vitro nurseries (IVN;De La Fuente et al, 2013;Cook et al, 2023) or cycling of gametes in vitro (COGIV; Murray et al, 2013), are only concepts. If we can learn how to trigger meiosis induction in vitro, we are closer to making these ideas a reality.…”