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Tef (Eragrostis tef) is a cereal grass and a major staple crop of Ethiopia and Eritrea. Despite its signifcant importance in terms of production, consumption, and cash crop value, tef has been understudied and its productivity is low. In this study, tef grains have undergone diferent priming treatments to enhance seed vigour and seedling performance. A conventional hydropriming and a novel additive priming technology with gas plasma-activated water (GPAW) have been used and tef grains were then subjected to germination performance assays and accelerated ageing. Tef priming increases the germination speed and vigour of the grains. Priming with GPAW retained the seed storage potential after ageing, therefore, presenting an innovative environmental-friendly seed technology with the prospect to address variable weather conditions and ultimately food insecurity. Seed technology opens new possibilities to increase productivity of tef crop farming to achieve a secure and resilient tef food system and economic growth in Ethiopia by sustainable intensifcation of agriculture beyond breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seed priming with gas plasma-activated water results in an increased ageing resilience in Eragrostis tef grains compared to a conventional hydropriming protocol. Tef (Eragrostis tef) is a cereal grass and a major staple crop of Ethiopia and Eritrea. Despite its significant importance in terms of production, consumption, and cash crop value, tef has been understudied and its productivity is low. In this study, tef grains have undergone different priming treatments to enhance seed vigour and seedling performance. A conventional hydropriming and a novel additive priming technology with gas plasma-activated water (GPAW) have been used and tef grains were then subjected to germination performance assays and accelerated ageing. Tef priming increases the germination speed and vigour of the grains. Priming with GPAW retained the seed storage potential after ageing, therefore, presenting an innovative environmental-friendly seed technology with the prospect to address variable weather conditions and ultimately food insecurity. Seed technology opens new possibilities to increase productivity of tef crop farming to achieve a secure and resilient tef food system and economic growth in Ethiopia by sustainable intensification of agriculture beyond breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plectranthus edulis is among the most ancient and native tuber crops in Ethiopia, which is mainly cultivated by smallholder farmers. Being an orphan crop, it has not received due research attention. To tackle major crop-production constraints through breeding, knowledge of its genetic diversity is a prerequisite. Thus, the current study was carried out to assess the nature and extent of genetic diversity in 130 genotypes using 20 cross-transferable expressed sequence tag-simple sequence repeat (EST-SSR) markers developed from a related species, Plectranthus barbatus. Among the 20 SSR markers, 15 were transferable to Plectranthus edulis, from which 14 polymorphic markers were used for diversity analysis. A total of 101 alleles were detected, with a mean of 7.2 alleles per locus. Allele frequency ranged from 0.23 to 0.54, with mean value of 0.40. Polymorphic information content (PIC) ranged from 0.54 to 0.84, with a mean of 0.70, indicating a high level of informativeness. The Nei's genetic distance ranged from 0.026 to 0.247, with the highest similarity being between Wolaita and Gamo Gofa populations. About 97% of the genetic variation was attributable to differences within populations; only 3% was attributable to variation among populations. The Neighbor-Joining cluster analysis grouped the 130 genotypes into three clusters. In general, the EST-SSR markers were effective in identifying genetic diversity in Ethiopian potato. This information can help to identify parental lines for crossing and exploiting the existing variability through selection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Enset (Ensete ventricosum) is a multipurpose crop extensively cultivated in southern and southwestern Ethiopia for human food, animal feed, and fiber. It has immense contributions to the food security and rural livelihoods of 20 million people. Several distinct enset landraces are cultivated for their uses in traditional medicine. These landraces are vulnerable to various human-related activities and environmental constraints. The genetic diversity among the landraces is not verified to plan conservation strategy. Moreover, it is currently unknown whether medicinal landraces are genetically differentiated from other landraces. Here, we characterize the genetic diversity of medicinal enset landraces to support effective conservation and utilization of their diversity. We evaluated the genetic diversity of 51 enset landraces, of which 38 have reported medicinal value. A total of 38 alleles across the 15 simple sequence repeat (SSR) loci and a moderate level of genetic diversity (He = 0.47) were detected. Analysis of molecular variation (AMOVA) revealed that only 2.4% of the total genetic variation was contributed by variation among the medicinal and non-medicinal groups of landraces, with an FST of 0.024. A neighbor-joining tree showed four separate clusters with no correlation to the use-values of the landraces. Except for two, all "medicinal" landraces with distinct vernacular names were found to be genetically different, showing that vernacular names are a good indicator of genetic distinctiveness in these specific groups of landraces. The discriminant analysis of the principal components also confirmed the absence of distinct clustering between the two groups. We found that enset landraces were clustered irrespective of their use-value, showing no evidence for genetic differentiation between the enset grown for 'medicinal' uses and non-medicinal landraces. This suggests that enset medicinal properties may be restricted to a more limited number of genotypes, might have resulted from the interaction of genotype with the environment or management practice, or partly misreported. The study provides baseline information that promotes further investigations in exploiting the medicinal value of these specific landraces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tef is the most important and well adapted cereal crop in Ethiopia and grows better than other cereals both in biotic and abiotic stress conditions. In this study 93 tef accessions representative of various agro-ecologies of Ethiopia along with four improved varieties, one local check and six wild relatives were studied. The materials were genotyped with 12 simple sequence repeat markers (SSRs) to investigate the extent and structure of the genetic diversity of tef. A total of 152 alleles were detected indicating high polymorphism in the studied accessions. The number of alleles per polymorphic loci ranged from seven for CNLT 538 to 29 for CNLT150 with an average of 12.67. High average polymorphic information content (0.82) and average expected heterozygosity (0.86) also signifies the suitability and efficiency of SSR markers to discriminate among tef genotypes. Cluster, principal coordinate and structure analyses grouped the 98 tef genotypes and six wild relatives into four distinct classes. The groupings showed no special pattern despite the different regions of origins for the accessions; however, the five wild relatives were grouped together. The analysis of molecular variance and fixation index showed low genetic differentiation and high gene flow between regions revealing that much of the variability was attributed to within populations variation. Generally, the present study showed that there is high genetic variability with unstructured genetic pattern among the studied tef genotypes which implies the vitality of conserved tef germplasms at Ethiopian Biodiversity Institute and the impact of the seed exchange system on tef breeding activities in Ethiopia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A field experiment was conducted to identify drought tolerant, high yielding and stable tef genotypes using drought tolerance indices. Sixty-four tef genotypes were evaluated under drought and non-stress conditions using "8 × 8 simple lattice design" with two replications at Debre-Zeit Agricultural Research Center. Drought tolerance indices including drought susceptibility index (SSI), drought tolerance index (STI), geometric mean productivity (GMP), mean productivity (MP), yield index (YI), yield stability index (YSI), drought resistance index (DRI), abiotic tolerance index (ATI), stress susceptibility percentage index (SSPI), harmonic mean (HM) were estimated from grain yield under drought (Ys) and non-stress (Yp) conditions. Highest grain yields in both drought and normal watering conditions were recorded for genotype Melko. Based on drought tolerant indices the highest values of STI, GMP, and MP were related to genotypes Melko, Etsub, and Ziquala. Correlation analysis revealed that grain yield was positively and significantly correlated with STI, GMP, MP, YI, DRI, and HM, indicating that these indices were more important for screening stress-tolerant tef genotypes. Principal component analysis indicated that the first two components accounted for more than 98% of the total variations. The first PC contributed for 67.9% of the variation with strong presence of STI, GMP, MP, YI, DRI, HM, Ys, and Yp. Biplot analysis also indicated the STI, GMP, MP, YI, DRI, and HM were more reliable indices to identify drought tolerant tef genotypes. Cluster analysis grouped the 64 tef genotypes into seven clusters. The study showed that selection based on indices which exhibited significant and positive coordination with Ys and Yp are more reliable parameters for breeders to use in the tef improvement program. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tef [ Eragrostis tef (Zucc.) Trotter] is an important crop in the Horn of Africa, particularly in Ethiopia, where it is a staple food for over 60 million people. However, the productivity of tef remains extremely low in part due to its susceptibility to lodging. Lodging is the displacement of the plant from the upright position, and it is exacerbated by rain, wind and the application of fertilizer. In order to address the issue of global food security, especially in the Horn of Africa, greater insight into the causes of tef lodging is needed. In this study, we combine modeling and biomechanical measurements to compare the properties relating to lodging tolerance in high yielding, improved tef genotypes, and lower yielding natural landraces. Our results indicate that the angle of the panicle contributes to the likelihood of lodging in tef. Varieties with compact panicles and reduced height had increased lodging resistance compared to the other varieties. By comparing different varieties, we found that overall, the landraces of tef lodged less than improved varieties. We constructed a model of stem bending and found that panicle angle was an important determinant of the amount of lodging. The findings from this study provide key information to those involved in tef improvement, especially those interested in lodging tolerance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Enset (Ensete ventricosum (Welw.) Cheesman) is a multipurpose food security crop extensively cultivated in southern and southwestern parts of Ethiopia. In addition to its wide consumption as a source of food and feed, some enset landraces are also used as a traditional medicine in some parts of the country. However, the latter are becoming vulnerable to various human-related activities and environmental constraints. The main objective of this study was, therefore, to investigate the diversity that exist in enset landraces used for traditional medicine. A field study was conducted in four Administrative Zones and one special District in the Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples Region in Ethiopia. A total of 14 qualitative traits were employed to investigate the diversity in 40 landraces through field observation, color charts and focus group discussion. The data were analyzed using SAS and MINITAB softwares. Principal component analysis showed that the first four principal components accounted for 77% of the total variations and classified the landraces into four distinct groups. Similarly, cluster analysis grouped the landraces into four major clusters each containing 4–15 landraces. In general, the 14 phenotypic traits used in this study are important in discriminating the landraces indicating the existence of high genetic diversity among the landraces which needs to be conserved for the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Main conclusion: Due to significant contributions of orphan crops in the economy of the developing world, scientific studies need to be promoted on these little researched but vital crops of smallholder farmers and consumers. Food security is the main challenge in the developing world, particularly in the least developed countries. Orphan crops play a vital role in the food security and livelihood of resource-poor farmers and consumers in these countries. Like major crops, there are members of all food types—cereals, legumes, vegetables and root and tuber crops, that are considered to be orphan crops. Despite their huge importance for present and future agriculture, orphan crops have generally received little attention by the global scientific community. Due to this, they produce inferior yields in terms of both quantity and quality. The major bottlenecks affecting the productivity of these crops are little or no selection of improved genetic traits, extreme environmental conditions and unfavorable policy. However, some orphan crops have recently received the attention of the global and national scientific community where advanced research and development initiatives have been launched. These initiatives which implement a variety of genetic and genomic tools targeted major constraints affecting productivity and/or nutritional quality of orphan crops. In this paper, some of these initiatives are briefly described. Here, I provide key suggestions to relevant stakeholders regarding improvement of orphan crops. Concerted efforts are urgently needed to advance the research and development of both the major and orphan crops so that food security will be achieved and ultimately the livelihood of the population will be improved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Main conclusion: Tef is a resilient crop from the Horn of Africa with significant importance in food and nutrition security, and currently gaining global popularity as health and performance food. Tef [Eragrostis tef (Zucc.) Trotter] is the most important cereal of Ethiopia in terms of production, consumption and cash crop value. In Ethiopia, tef is annually grown on about 3 million ha with total grain production of over 5 million tons. As such, it accounts for about 30% of the total cultivated area and one-fifth of the gross grain production of all cereals cultivated in the country. In spite of its supreme economic and agricultural significance in Ethiopia, its productivity is relatively low with national average yield of about 1.7 t/ha. This has primarily been due to the very little scientific improvement done on the crop. Tef has still been an "orphan crop" since it is globally a very much under-researched crop owing to its localized importance. Scientific research on tef in Ethiopia began in the late 1950s. The main objective of this paper is to provide an overview of the significance and major production constraints of tef, and the major achievements made to date in various tef research aspects including breeding, agronomy, crop protection, and agricultural economics and extension. Based on these reviews, the paper eventually concludes with remarks on the way forward by emphasizing on the identification of the major gaps and the improvement efforts required for realizing the ever-needed breakthrough in the productivity and production of the crop. The major focal areas of future efforts include increasing productivity of both grain and biomass, systematic conservation and mining of the genetic resources, tackling the lodging malady, mechanization of the crop's husbandry, understanding the overall physiology of the crop especially with respect to stress tolerance, unraveling the nutritional qualities, and development of recipes and value-added products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Tef [Eragrostis tef (Zucc.) Trotter] is the major food crop in Ethiopia where it is annually cultivated on about 30% of the total area allocated to cereals. The productivity of tef is, however, significantly reduced by drought which can occur at either the early or the late developmental stage of the crop. Methodology: A total of 10,000 EMS (ethyl methane sulfonate) mutagenized M2 tef populations were screened first for early and second for terminal drought tolerance. The performance of candidate lines was investigated using diverse agronomical and physiological parameters. Results and discussion: Several promising lines were obtained for both early and terminal drought tolerance. Among these, genotypes with outstanding performance were found for two drought tolerant tef lines targeting early drought tolerance (dtt2 and dtt13) and three terminal drought tolerant lines targeting terminal drought tolerance (tdt9, tdt15 and tdt19). Conclusions: Candidate lines for both early and terminal drought tolerance will play vital roles in developing drought tolerance in tef improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A changing climate, a growing world population, and a reduction in arable land devoted to food production are all problems facing the world food security. The development of crops that can yield under uncertain and extreme climatic and soil growing conditions can play a key role in mitigating these problems. Major crops such as maize, rice, and wheat are responsible for a large proportion of global food production but many understudied crops (commonly known as “orphan crops”) including millets, cassava, and cowpea feed millions of people in Asia, Africa, and South America and are already adapted to the local environments in which they are grown. The application of modern genetic and genomic tools to the breeding of these crops can provide enormous opportunities for ensuring world food security but is only in its infancy. In this review, the diversity and types of understudied crops will be introduced, and the beneficial traits of these crops as well as their role in the socioeconomics of Africa will be discussed. In addition, the response of orphan crops to diverse types of abiotic stresses is investigated. A review of the current tools and their application to the breeding of enhanced orphan crops will also be described. Finally, few examples of global efforts on tackling major abiotic constraints in Africa are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

MicroRNAs are a class of post-transcriptional regulators of plant developmental and physiological processes and responses to environmental stresses. Here, we present the study regarding the annotation and characterization of MIR genes conducted in durum wheat. We characterized the miRNAome of leaf and root tissues at tillering stage under two environmental conditions: irrigated with 100% (control) and 55% of evapotranspiration (early water stress). In total, 90 microRNAs were identified, of which 32 were classified as putative novel and species-specific miRNAs. In addition, seven microRNA homeologous groups were identified in each of the two genomes of the tetraploid durum wheat. Differential expression analysis highlighted a total of 45 microRNAs significantly differentially regulated in the pairwise comparisons leaf versus root. The miRNA families, miR530, miR395, miR393, miR5168, miR396 and miR166, miR171, miR319, and miR167, were the most expressed in leaves in comparison to roots. Putative microRNA targets were predicted for both five and three prime sequences derived from the stem-loop of the MIR gene. Gene ontology analysis showed significant overrepresented gene categories in microRNA targets belonging to transcription factors, phenylpropanoids, oxydases, and lipid binding-protein. This work represents one of the first genome wide characterization of MIR genes in durum wheat, identifying leaf and root tissue-specific microRNAs. This genomic identification of microRNAs together with the analysis of their expression profiles is a well-accepted starting point leading to a better comprehension of the role of MIR genes in the genus Triticum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

About 15,000M2seeds of ethyl-methane-sulphonate (EMS)-mutagenized population were screened along with Al-tolerant and sensitive checks and theM0variety. Strongly acidic soil with an external application of a toxic Al-solution and exposure to moisture stress was used to maximize selection pressure. Twenty-oneM2plants with root lengths of greater than the mean of the tolerant check were selected and planted for seed production. CandidateM3plants were investigated for Al-tolerance and for morpho-agronomic traits under greenhouse and field conditions, respectively. Highly significant differences were observed for Al-tolerance between the candidate mutant lines and theM0(P < .001), and between mutant lines and the sensitive check (P < .001). Similarly, significant differences were observed between the mutant lines for 16 of the 20 quantitative traits measured. This study is the first to report successful induction of enhanced Al-tolerance in tef by using EMS mutagenized population. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Tef [Eragrostis tef (Zucc.) Trotter] and finger millet [Eleusine coracana Gaertn] are staple cereal crops in Africa and Asia with several desirable agronomic and nutritional properties. Tef is becoming a life-style crop as it is gluten-free while finger millet has a low glycemic index which makes it an ideal food for diabetic patients. However, both tef and finger millet have extremely low grain yields mainly due to moisture scarcity and susceptibility of the plants to lodging. In this study, the effects of gibberellic acid (GA) inhibitors particularly paclobutrazol (PBZ) on diverse physiological and yield-related parameters were investigated and compared to GA mutants in rice (Oryza sativa L.). The application of PBZ to tef and finger millet significantly reduced the plant height and increased lodging tolerance. Remarkably, PBZ also enhanced the tolerance of both tef and finger millet to moisture deficit. Under moisture scarcity, tef plants treated with PBZ did not exhibit drought-related symptoms and their stomatal conductance was unaltered, leading to higher shoot biomass and grain yield. Semi-dwarf rice mutants altered in GA biosynthesis, were also shown to have improved tolerance to dehydration. The combination of traits (drought tolerance, lodging tolerance and increased yield) that we found in plants with altered GA pathway is of importance to breeders who would otherwise rely on extensive crossing to introgress each trait individually. The key role played by PBZ in the tolerance to both lodging and drought calls for further studies using mutants in the GA biosynthesis pathway in order to obtain candidate lines which can be incorporated into crop-breeding programs to create lodging tolerant and climate-smart crops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tef [Eragrostis tef (Zucc.) Trotter] is a cereal crop resilient to adverse climatic and soil conditions, and possessing desirable storage properties. Although tef provides high quality food and grows under marginal conditions unsuitable for other cereals, it is considered to be an orphan crop because it has benefited little from genetic improvement. Hence, unlike other cereals such as maize and wheat, the productivity of tef is extremely low. In spite of the low productivity, tef is widely cultivated by over six million small-scale farmers in Ethiopia where it is annually grown on more than three million hectares of land, accounting for over 30% of the total cereal acreage. Tef, a tetraploid with 40 chromosomes (2n = 4x = 40), belongs to the family Poaceae and, together with finger millet (Eleusine coracana Gaerth.), to the subfamily Chloridoideae. It was originated and domesticated in Ethiopia. There are about 350 Eragrostis species of which E. tef is the only species cultivated for human consumption. At the present time, the gene bank in Ethiopia holds over five thousand tef accessions collected from geographical regions diverse in terms of climate and elevation. These germplasm accessions appear to have huge variability with regard to key agronomic and nutritional traits. In order to properly utilize the variability in developing new tef cultivars, various techniques have been implemented to catalog the extent and unravel the patterns of genetic diversity. In this review, we show some recent initiatives investigating the diversity of tef using genomics, transcriptomics and proteomics and discuss the prospect of these efforts in providing molecular resources that can aid modern tef breeding [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The semi-dwarf and lodging-tolerant kegne mutant linked to defects in microtubule orientation has the potential to enhance the productivity of an African orphan crop tef (Eragrostis tef).Genetic improvement of native crops is a new and promising strategy to combat hunger in the developing world. Tef is the major staple food crop for approximately 50 million people in Ethiopia. As an indigenous cereal, it is well adapted to diverse climatic and soil conditions; however, its productivity is extremely low mainly due to susceptibility to lodging. Tef has a tall and weak stem, liable to lodge (or fall over), which is aggravated by wind, rain, or application of nitrogen fertilizer. To circumvent this problem, the first semi-dwarf lodging-tolerant tef line, called kegne, was developed from an ethyl methanesulphonate (EMS)-mutagenized population. The response of kegne to microtubule-depolymerizing and -stabilizing drugs, as well as subsequent gene sequencing and segregation analysis, suggests that a defect in the α-Tubulin gene is functionally and genetically tightly linked to the kegne phenotype. In diploid species such as rice, homozygous mutations in α-Tubulin genes result in extreme dwarfism and weak stems. In the allotetraploid tef, only one homeologue is mutated, and the presence of the second intact α-Tubulin gene copy confers the agriculturally beneficial semi-dwarf and lodging-tolerant phenotype. Introgression of kegne into locally adapted and popular tef cultivars in Ethiopia will increase the lodging tolerance in the tef germplasm and, as a result, will improve the productivity of this valuable crop. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Tef (Eragrostis tef), an indigenous cereal critical to food security in the Horn of Africa, is rich in minerals and protein, resistant to many biotic and abiotic stresses and safe for diabetics as well as sufferers of immune reactions to wheat gluten. We present the genome of tef, the first species in the grass subfamily Chloridoideae and the first allotetraploid assembled de novo. We sequenced the tef genome for marker-assisted breeding, to shed light on the molecular mechanisms conferring tef’s desirable nutritional and agronomic properties, and to make its genome publicly available as a community resource. Results: The draft genome contains 672 Mbp representing 87% of the genome size estimated from flow cytometry. We also sequenced two transcriptomes, one from a normalized RNA library and another from unnormalized RNASeq data. The normalized RNA library revealed around 38000 transcripts that were then annotated by the SwissProt group. The CoGe comparative genomics platform was used to compare the tef genome to other genomes, notably sorghum. Scaffolds comprising approximately half of the genome size were ordered by syntenic alignment to sorghum producing tef pseudo-chromosomes, which were sorted into A and B genomes as well as compared to the genetic map of tef. The draft genome was used to identify novel SSR markers, investigate target genes for abiotic stress resistance studies, and understand the evolution of the prolamin family of proteins that are responsible for the immune response to gluten. Conclusions: It is highly plausible that breeding targets previously identified in other cereal crops will also be valuable breeding targets in tef. The draft genome and transcriptome will be of great use for identifying these targets for genetic improvement of this orphan crop that is vital for feeding 50 million people in the Horn of Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tef, Eragrostis tef (Zucc.) Trotter, is the most important cereal in Ethiopia. Tef is cultivated by more than five million small-scale farmers annually and constitutes the staple food for more than half of the population of 80 million. The crop is preferred by both farmers and consumers due to its beneficial traits associated with its agronomy and utilization. The genetic and phenotypic diversity of tef in Ethiopia is a national treasure of potentially global importance. In order for this diversity to be effectively conserved and utilized, a better understanding at the genomic level is necessary. In the recent years, tef has become the subject of genomic research in Ethiopia and abroad. Genomic-assisted tef improvement holds tremendous potential for improving productivity, thereby benefiting the smallholder farmers who have cultivated and relied on the crop for thousands of years. It is hoped that such research endeavours will provide solutions to some of the age-old problems of tef's husbandry. In this review, we provide a brief description of the genesis and progress of tef genomic research to date, suggest ways to utilize the genomic tools developed so far, discuss the potential of genomics to enable sustainable conservation and use of tef genetic diversity and suggest opportunities for the future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eragrostis is a cosmopolitan genus of the family Poaceae. Several wild species, including E. pilosa (L.) Beauv., are harvested for food, but the only cultivated crop-species is tef [ E. tef (Zucc.) Trotter]. Despite its importance as a staple food and its plasticity to diverse environmental conditions, little is known about the structural and physiological strategies that adapt tef seeds to endure diverse and variable moisture regimes. Here, we report the presence of slime cells, a type of modified epidermal cell, covering the fruit of tef and its wild relative, E. pilosa. The slime produced by Eragrostis belongs to the 'true' slime type, since it is exclusively composed of pectins. Pectin forms uniform layers on the cell wall inner surface, which are confined by a thin cellulose layer to prevent release into the cell lumen. In the presence of water, pectins quickly hydrate, causing swelling of the slime cells. This is followed by their detachment, which may be controlled by a thin cuticle layer on the fruit surface. The ability of slime to absorb and maintain moisture around the grain is thought to be an adaptive feature for Eragrostis growing in dry habitats. This retention of water by slime may create conditions that are suitable for rapid germination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Orphan crops are crops with little significance at the global scale but they play a vital role in the food and nutrition security as well as the livelihood of resource-poor farmers and consumers in the developing world. Due to multiple dietary benefits and their tolerance to extreme environmental conditions, some orphan crops are considered to be crops for the future. [Extracted from the article]

Tef (Eragrostis tef (Zucc.) Trotter) is a staple food crop for 70% of the Ethiopian population and is currently cultivated in several countries for grain and forage production. It is one of the most nutritious grains, and is also more resilient to marginal soil and climate conditions than major cereals such as maize, wheat and rice. However, tef is an extremely low-yielding crop, mainly due to lodging, which is when stalks fall on the ground irreversibly, and prolonged drought during the growing season. Climate change is triggering several biotic and abiotic stresses which are expected to cause severe food shortages in the foreseeable future. This has necessitated an alternative and robust approach in order to improve resilience to diverse types of stresses and increase crop yields. Traditional breeding has been extensively implemented to develop crop varieties with traits of interest, although the technique has several limitations. Currently, genome editing technologies are receiving increased interest among plant biologists as a means of improving key agronomic traits. In this review, the potential application of clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) and CRISPR-associated proteins (CRISPR-Cas) technology in improving stress resilience in tef is discussed. Several putative abiotic stress-resilient genes of the related monocot plant species have been discussed and proposed as target genes for editing in tef through the CRISPR-Cas system. This is expected to improve stress resilience and boost productivity, thereby ensuring food and nutrition security in the region where it is needed the most. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The genus Eragrostis consists of 350 species, including tef (Eragrostis tef (Zucc.) Trotter), the only cultivated species in this genus. Very little is known about the genetic potential of these species for tef improvement and genomics research. Here, we investigated a germplasm panel consisting of 40 Eragrostis species and 42 tef lines with single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) data generated using the genotyping by sequencing (GBS) protocol. Thousands of SNPs were identified genome-wide from the germplasm panel. High-quality SNPs were used to assess sequence similarity and/or divergence, genetic diversity, population structure, and phylogenetic relationships. Mapping individual reads to the tef reference genome revealed that of the 40 wild Eragrostis species included in this study, E. pilosa, E. aethiopica, E. obtusa, E. ferruginea, E. lugens, and E. lehmanniana had 92% of their sequences represented in the tef reference genome. In the maximum likelihood phylogenetic analysis, these wild species clearly showed grouping in the clade consisting of the entire tef germplasm. Population structure analysis showed two major clusters consistent with the germplasm class information and the inferred phylogenetic relationships. The wild Eragrostis species were more diverse than the tef cultivars and could therefore potentially be used to enrich the tef gene pool. The SNP dataset and the results documented here are taxonomically the most inclusive to date and could be a useful informational tool for the design of genomics-informed tef breeding and research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tef [Eragrostis tef (Zucc.) Trotter], an allotetraploid cereal that is a staple food to over 60 million people in the Horn of Africa, has a high nutritional content and is resistant to many biotic and abiotic stresses such as waterlogging and drought. Three tef genotypes, Alba, Tsedey, and Quncho, were subjected to waterlogging conditions and their growth, physiology, and change in transcript expression were measured with the goal of identifying targets for breeding cultivars with improved waterlogging tolerance. Root and shoot growth and dry weight were observed over 22 days. Stomatal conductance and chlorophyll and carotenoid contents were quantified. Microscopy was used to monitor changes in the stem cross sections. Illumina RNA sequencing was used to obtain the expression profiles of tef under flooding and control conditions and was verified using qPCR. Results indicated differences in growth between the three genotypes. Waterlogged Tsedey plants grew higher and had more root biomass than normally watered Tsedey plants. Quncho and Alba genotypes were more susceptible to the excess moisture stress. The effects of these changes were observed on the plant physiology. Among the three tested tef genotypes, Tsedey formed more aerenchyma than Alba and had accelerated growth under waterlogging. Tsedey and Quncho had constitutive aerenchyma. Genes affecting carbohydrate metabolism, cell growth, response to reactive oxygen species, transport, signaling, and stress responses were found to change under excess moisture stress. In general, these results show the presence of substantial anatomical and physiological differences among tef genotypes when waterlogged during the early growth stage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]