Analyzing Medicago spp. seed morphology using GWAS and machine learning

Bibliographic Details
Title: Analyzing Medicago spp. seed morphology using GWAS and machine learning
Authors: Jacob Botkin, Cesar Medina, Sunchung Park, Kabita Poudel, Minhyeok Cha, Yoonjung Lee, Louis K. Prom, Shaun J. Curtin, Zhanyou Xu, Ezekiel Ahn
Source: Scientific Reports, Vol 14, Iss 1, Pp 1-15 (2024)
Publisher Information: Nature Portfolio, 2024.
Publication Year: 2024
Collection: LCC:Medicine
LCC:Science
Subject Terms: Medicago sativa, Alfalfa, Seed morphology, Area size, Seed color, RGB, Medicine, Science
More Details: Abstract Alfalfa is widely recognized as an important forage crop. To understand the morphological characteristics and genetic basis of seed morphology in alfalfa, we screened 318 Medicago spp., including 244 Medicago sativa subsp. sativa (alfalfa) and 23 other Medicago spp., for seed area size, length, width, length-to-width ratio, perimeter, circularity, the distance between the intersection of length & width (IS) and center of gravity (CG), and seed darkness & red–green–blue (RGB) intensities. The results revealed phenotypic diversity and correlations among the tested accessions. Based on the phenotypic data of M. sativa subsp. sativa, a genome-wide association study (GWAS) was conducted using single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) called against the Medicago truncatula genome. Genes in proximity to associated markers were detected, including CPR1, MON1, a PPR protein, and Wun1(threshold of 1E−04). Machine learning models were utilized to validate GWAS, and identify additional marker-trait associations for potentially complex traits. Marker S7_33375673, upstream of Wun1, was the most important predictor variable for red color intensity and highly important for brightness. Fifty-two markers were identified in coding regions. Along with strong correlations observed between seed morphology traits, these genes will facilitate the process of understanding the genetic basis of seed morphology in Medicago spp.
Document Type: article
File Description: electronic resource
Language: English
ISSN: 2045-2322
Relation: https://doaj.org/toc/2045-2322
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-67790-4
Access URL: https://doaj.org/article/48a551334b384922afc14192f56276ac
Accession Number: edsdoj.48a551334b384922afc14192f56276ac
Database: Directory of Open Access Journals
More Details
ISSN:20452322
DOI:10.1038/s41598-024-67790-4
Published in:Scientific Reports
Language:English