Prospects of Feral Crop De Novo Redomestication

Abstract

Modern agriculture depends on a narrow variety of crop species, leaving global food and nutritional security highly vulnerable to adverse effects of climate change and population expansion. Crop improvement using conventional and molecular breeding approaches leveraging plant genetic diversity using crop wild relatives (CWRs) has been one approach to address these issues. However, the rapid pace of the global change requires additional innovative solutions to adapt agriculture to meet global needs. Neodomestication—the rapid and targeted introduction of domestication traits using introgression or genome editing of CWRs—is being explored as a supplementary approach. These methods show promise; however, they have so far been limited in efficiency and applicability. We propose expanding the scope of neodomestication beyond truly wild CWRs to include feral crops as a source of genetic diversity for novel crop development, in this case “redomestication.” Feral crops are plants which have escaped cultivation and evolved independently, typically adapting to their local environments. Thus, feral crops potentially contain valuable adaptive features while retaining some domestication traits. Due to their genetic proximity to crop species, feral crops may be easier targets for de novo domestication (i.e., neodomestication via genome editing techniques). In this review, we explore the potential of de novo redomestication as an application for novel crop development by genome editing of feral crops. This approach to efficiently exploit plant genetic diversity would access an underutilized reservoir of genetic diversity that could prove important in support of global food insecurity in the face of the climate change.

Agricultural weeds: the contribution of domesticated species to the origin and evolution of feral weeds

“…Although feral weeds are entirely or partly derived from crops and are characterized by de‐domestication syndromes (a suite of traits common to most feral weeds as seed shattering and dormancy, and high growth rate), the de‐domestication process (feralization) is not necessarily a simple genetic reversal of the same alleles targeted by domestication, but instead can also occur by novel genetic mechanisms 25,26 . So, these weeds are closely related to cultivated plants and selected in the same habitat as crops, and can also be a valuable genetic resource for desired traits (for example, abiotic and biotic tolerance) for modern crop breeding 25,27 . An understanding of how feral weeds originate and adapt to agricultural environments is crucial for improving weed management and crop breeding.…”

“…25,26 So, these weeds are closely related to cultivated plants and selected in the same habitat as crops, and can also be a valuable genetic resource for desired traits (for example, abiotic and biotic tolerance) for modern crop breeding. 25,27 An understanding of how feral weeds originate and adapt to agricultural environments is crucial for improving weed management and crop breeding. In this review, we first provide information on the key traits of weediness and their evolution during the de-domestication process and the role of "super-crops" in the evolution of feral weeds.…”

The next era of crop domestication starts now

“…For example, genome–environment associations can facilitate selection of the most environmentally appropriate wild materials to use in breeding programs ( 76 , 77 ). Feralized populations of crops and landraces may also serve as important genetic resources for locally adaptive traits, as well as potential targets for “de novo redomestication” ( 135 ). Similarly, screening cultivated material, especially landraces, for wild introgressions can identify admixed populations that have reduced linkage drag ( 129 ).…”

Building a feral future: Open questions in crop ferality

“…What specific traits from feral crops could be of value? Are there opportunities to introgress genes from feral plants to endow tolerance to biotic and abiotic stress factors? Is there an opportunity to redomesticate feral crops using classical breeding or genome editing? Do sympatric feral populations unintentionally impart adaptive variation into crops via gene flow? Can we intentionally conduct breeding that produces crops with less ferality potential? How does the use of certified weed‐free seed help prevent the dispersal of feral plants? What agronomic management practices influence the formation of feral crop populations and how can they be modified to prevent their establishment? Do feral crops act as refuges for pollinators or pests? Are there any ecosystem services offered by feral populations in agricultural landscapes? Can feral populations serve as a component of a metapopulation for specific plant species in agricultural landscapes? Recently, Pisias et al (2022) reviewed the possibility of utilizing feral crops, which have a more similar genomic background to crops than their wild relatives, for crop improvement using de novo domestication, especially through genome‐editing techniques (Curtin et al, 2022; Fernie & Yan, 2019; Lemmon et al, 2018; Shan et al, 2020; Wu et al, 2021; Zsögön et al, 2018). Depending on the species, this process could still require extensive baseline research to establish transformation and tissue culture regeneration systems.…”

“…Recently, Pisias et al (2022) reviewed the possibility of utilizing feral crops, which have a more similar genomic background to crops than their wild relatives, for crop improvement using de novo domestication, especially through genome-editing techniques (Curtin et al, 2022;Fernie & Yan, 2019;Lemmon et al, 2018;Shan et al, 2020;Wu et al, 2021;Zsögön et al, 2018). Depending on the species, this process could still require extensive baseline research to establish transformation and tissue culture regeneration systems.…”