Biology subjects

Bellucci, E.

Publications and source records attributed to Bellucci, E..

14 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2026

Dissecting the phenotypic and genetic determinants of maize-bean interactions in intercropping

O_LICereal-legume intercropping is a cornerstone of agroecological systems because interactions between species can enhance agroecosystem resilience. Yet, the mechanisms underlying these interactions remain poorly understood. To address this gap, we investigated the maize-bean association under low-input conditions. C_LIO_LIWe conducted a two-year intercropping experiment with 200 climbing bean lines grown alongside three maize landraces in France and Romania. We evaluated bean phenotypic responses above- and below-ground to 3 maize landraces, treated as distinct biotic environments (E). Direct and indirect genetic effects were assessed by mapping bean and maize phenotypic traits onto the bean genome (G), with G x E interactions tested using contrasts among maize landraces. C_LIO_LICompetitive interactions dominated, maize acting as the stronger competitor. Maize landraces created distinct biotic environments affecting bean traits. Best-performing partners varied across experimental fields, with no evidence of bean local adaptation. The most productive and balanced mixtures were obtained with the traditionally intercropped maize landrace. Genome-wide association analyses identified loci underlying direct and indirect genetic effects, including candidate genes associated with neighbor perception. C_LIO_LIThese findings reveal the genetic complexity of maize-bean interactions and highlight competitive tolerance in bean and reduced aggressiveness in maize as key traits for improving cereal-legume intercrop performance. C_LI

genetics↗

bioRxiv2026

Multi-omic analysis reveals the genetic architecture of water-deficit stress in Phaseolus vulgaris

Common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) is one of the most important grain legumes for direct human consumption. Currently, 60% of its production is estimated to be at risk due to drought. However, the genetic basis of common beans drought resistance is poorly understood. To this end, we assessed the genetic architecture of drought-responsive changes in a whole genome-sequenced population of 218 common bean accessions. Using multi-omics-based trait evaluation, including lipidomics, photosynthetic and agronomic traits, followed by multi-omics genome-wide association studies (moGWAS), yielded in the detection of a myriad of moQTL for photosynthesis and yield, as well as the levels of various lipids. QTL associated with glycolipids, which are integral to photosynthesis, since they constitute the major membrane components of chloroplasts, were identified. In addition, we molecularly validated several lipid-related candidate genes via P. vulgaris hairy root transformation as well as transient expression in tobacco. In particular, a lipoxygenase and an allene oxide synthase were identified as explaining the variation in triacylglycerol by oxylipin production. These data provide a blueprint for multi-omics-assisted improvement of crop water stress resilience.

plant biology↗

bioRxiv2025

Genotype by Environment Interaction influenced the content of crude protein and total amino acids in lentil varieties

Lentil (Lens culinaris Medik) is a globally important grain legume valued for its high protein content and nutritional quality. However, the genetic and environmental factors influencing protein and amino acid composition, particularly the role of genotype x environment interaction (GEI), remain partially uncovered. This study evaluated 15 diverse lentil genotypes across seven agronomic trials spanning multiple years, sowing seasons, and locations to assess the effects of genotype, environment, and GEI on crude protein (CP), crude protein yield (CPY), total amino acids (TAA), and total amino acid yield (TAAY). Advanced statistical models such as AMMI, GGE, and WAASB were employed to dissect the contributions of genetic and environmental components and to identify stable, high-performing genotypes. Results revealed significant phenotypic variation for CP, Amino Acids (AA), and TAA among genotypes. Seasonal variation, especially between autumn and spring sowings, was the primary environmental driver of GEI for both CP and CPY. Notably, some landraces (PI_431710_LSP, PI_431739_LSP, PI_431753_LSP, IG_1959) demonstrated both high productivity and stability across environments, while others excelled in specific mega-environments identified through GGE analysis. Our findings emphasize the importance of integrating into lentil breeding programs, stability and adaptability, and a more comprehensive approach to measure the yield (e.g., CPY, MegaJoule, ammino acid composition and TAAY), which takes into account the quality and the effective energetic production of a crop. From this perspective, we highlight landraces as valuable sources of genetic diversity for improving yield. This work provides a foundation for targeted breeding strategies aimed at developing lentil varieties with enhanced protein content, balanced amino acid profiles, and resilience to environmental variability

genetics↗

bioRxiv2025

Newly-identified lentil genotypes adapted to Mediterraneanagro-ecosystems

Lentil cultivation and consumption promote human health and sustainable agriculture, making a significant contribution to the transition toward a plant-based diet. In Europe, lentil yields are still unstable, and the lack of breeding efforts limits the choice of farmers to few varieties. Here, we characterized 46 lentil genotypes, including local cultivars and landraces from diverse geographic origins, in Mediterranean agro-environments for flowering, architectural and production traits in seven field trials, over 3 years (2019-2021), in two localities (central and southern Italy) and during two sowing seasons (autumn and spring). We estimated the genetic merit of each genotype and identified outperforming genotypes for all traits. Indian ILL 11557AGL and Argentinian IL 4605AGL domesticated varieties resulted superior for earliness. Italian landraces and French cultivars achieved the highest values for first pod height, while landraces and breeding materials from Ethiopia, Syria and Iran were the best-yielding. Data from all seven trials were available for 16 genotypes, so we analyzed the genotype, environment and genotype x environment interaction (GEI) to identify specific genotypic adaptations. European cultivars performed well for architectural traits, whereas the best-yielding genotypes were Middle Eastern and Ethiopian landraces. Environmental effect on yield related to sowing season and locality was detected, with an overall higher yield in autumn compared to spring sowing trials and in central rather than southern Italy. By dissecting the GEI structure using additive main effect and multiplicative interaction (AMMI) analysis and Weighted Average of Absolute Scores (WAASB) index, we identified a group of Iranian landraces (PI 431633 AGL and PI 432033 LSP AGL) adapted to both autumn and spring sowing and one Ethiopian landrace (IG 1959 AGL) showing high yield stability across all environmental conditions. These findings provide a foundation to unlock the full potential of lentil cultivation in European and Mediterranean systems by identifying adapted, high-performing genotypes.

genetics↗

bioRxiv2024

Genetic and phenotypic characterization of global Lupinus albus genetic resources for the development of a CORE collection

Lupinus albus is a food grain legume recognized for its high levels of seed protein (30-40%) and oil (6-13%), and its adaptability to different climatic and soil conditions. To develop the next generation of L. albus cultivars, we need access to well-characterized, genetically and phenotypically diverse germplasm. Here we evaluated more than 2000 L. albus accessions with passport data based on 35 agro-morphological traits to develop Intelligent CORE Collections. The reference CORE (R-CORE), representing global diversity, exemplified the genotypic variation of cultivars, breeding/research materials, landraces and wild relatives. A subset of 300 R-CORE accessions was selected as a training CORE (T-CORE), representing the diversity in the entire collection. We divided the L. albus R-CORE into four phenotypic groups (A1, A2, A3 and B) based on principal component analysis, with groups A3 and B distinguished by pod shattering and seed ornamentation, respectively. The coefficient of additive genetic variation differed across morphological traits, phenotypic groups, geographic regions, and according to biological status. These CORE collections will facilitate agricultural research by identifying the genes responsible for desirable traits in crop improvement programs, and by shedding light on the use of orphan genetic resources for origin and domestication studies in L. albus. Understanding the variation in these genetic resources will allow us to develop sustainable tools and technologies that address global challenges such as providing healthy and sustainable diets for all, and contrasting the current climate change crisis.

plant biology↗

bioRxiv2024

Landscape genomics highlights the adaptive evolution of chickpea

Environmental heterogeneity and human-mediated dispersal have jointly shaped the genetic diversity and local adaptation of crop species. Understanding the genetic basis of these processes is essential for improving crops across diverse agro-environmental conditions. We characterized population structure and geographic patterns of genetic diversity in 532 chickpea genotypes spanning most of the cultivated range. Using redundancy analysis on 208 georeferenced landrace-derived genotypes from the Mediterranean Basin to Central Asia, we identified genotype-environment associations (GEAs) and traced adaptive variation along historical Silk Road routes. Both environmental and geographic factors significantly shaped chickpea diversity. GEA loci were enriched for genes involved in heat and drought tolerance, while key geographic regions harbored reservoirs of adaptive alleles and early-flowering genotypes, supporting flowering time as an escape strategy from terminal stress. These findings provide a genomic framework for integrating climate-adaptive alleles into chickpea breeding programs targeting drought- and heat-prone environments.

genomics↗

bioRxiv2023

Adaptive gene loss in the common bean pan-genome during range expansion and domestication

The common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) is a crucial grain legume crop [1,2] whose life history offers an ideal evolutionary model to identify and study adaptive variants in wild and domestication populations [3]. Here we present the first common bean pan-genome based on five high-quality genomes and whole-genome reads representing 339 genotypes. We found [~]243 Mb of additional sequences containing 7,495 protein-coding genes missing from the reference, constituting 51% of the total presence/absence variations (PAVs). There were more putatively deleterious mutations in PAVs than core genes, probably reflecting the lower effective population size of PAVs as well as fitness advantages due to the purging effect of gene loss. Our results suggest strong pan-genome shrinkage occurred during wild range expansion from Mexico to South America, with more PAV loss per individual in Andean vs Mesoamerican populations. Selection signatures during wild spreading and domestication were also associated with PAV loss involved in important adaptive traits. Our findings provide evidence that partial or complete gene loss was a key adaptive trait leading to localized and genome-wide reductions. This novel result has major implications for the understanding of the process of plant adaptation and claims for a paradigm shift in evolutionary genetics. Moreover, the common bean pan-genome is a valuable resource for food legume research and breeding towards climate change mitigation, and sustainable agriculture.

evolutionary biology↗

bioRxiv2023

Genotype combinations drive variability in the microbiome configuration of the rhizosphere of Maize/Bean intercropping system

In intercropping system, the interplay between cereals and legumes, which is strongly driven by complementarity of below-ground structures and their interactions with the soil microbiome, raises a fundamental query: Can different genotypes alter the configuration of the rhizosphere microbial communities? To address this issue, we conducted a field study, probing the effects of intercropping and diverse maize (Zea mays L.) and beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L., Phaseolus coccineus L.) genotype combinations. Our results unveil that intercropping condition alters the rhizosphere bacterial communities, but that the degree of this impact is substantially affected by specific genotype combinations. Overall, intercropping allows the recruitment of exclusive bacterial species and enhance community complexity. Nevertheless, combinations of maize and beans genotypes determine two distinct groups characterized by higher or lower bacterial community diversity and complexity, which are influenced by the specific bean line associated. Moreover, intercropped maize lines exhibit varying propensities in recruiting bacterial members with more responsive lines showing preferential interactions with specific microorganisms. Our study conclusively shows that genotype has an impact on the rhizosphere microbiome and that a careful selection of genotype combinations for both species involved is essential to achieve compatibility optimization in intercropping.

plant biology↗

bioRxiv2023

Nitrogen availability during domestication shaped the divergence of tetraploid wheat

The domestication of crops, with the development of the agroecosystems, is associated with major environmental changes and represent a model to test the role of phenotypic plasticity. Here we investigated 32 genotypes representing key stages of tetraploid wheat domestication. We developed a dedicated pipeline combining RNA-Seq data, estimates of evolvability and QST to characterize the plasticity of gene expression and identify signatures of selection under different nitrogen conditions. The analysis of gene expression diversity showed contrasting results between primary and secondary domestication in relation to nitrogen availability. Indeed, nitrogen triggered the expression of twice the number of genes in durum wheat compared to emmer and wild emmer. QST distributions and QST-FST comparisons revealed distinct selection signatures at each domestication stage. While primary domestication affected the expression of genes involved in biotic interactions, secondary domestication was associated with changes in expression of genes involved in metabolism of amino acids, particularly lysine. Selection signatures were found also in differentially expressed genes, specifically involved in nitrogen metabolism, such as glutamate dehydrogenase. Overall, our findings show that nitrogen availability had a pivotal role during the domestication and adaptive responses of a major food crop, with varying effects across different traits and growth conditions.

genetics↗

bioRxiv2023

The evolutionary history of the common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) revealed by chloroplast and nuclear genomes.

The remarkable evolutionary history of the common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) has led to the emergence of three wild main genepools corresponding to three different ecogeographic areas: Mesoamerica, the Andes and northern Peru/Ecuador. Recent works proposed novel scenarios and the northern Peru/Ecuador population has been described as a new species called P. debouckii, rekindling the debate about the origin of P. vulgaris. Here we shed light on the origin of P. vulgaris by analysing the chloroplast and nuclear genomes of a large varietal collection representing the entire geographical distribution of wild forms. We assembled 37 chloroplast genomes de novo and used them to construct a time frame for the divergence of the genotypes under investigation, revealing that the separation of the Mesoamerican and northern Peru/Ecuador genepools occurred [~]0.15 Mya. Our results clearly support a Mesoamerican origin of the common bean and reject the recent P. deboukii hypothesis. These results also imply two independent migratory events from Mesoamerica to the North and South Andes, probably facilitated by birds. Our work represents a paradigmatic example of the importance of taking into account recombination events when investigating phylogeny and of the analysis of wild forms when studying the evolutionary history of a crop species.

genetics↗

bioRxiv2022

CRISPR/Cas9-based repeat depletion for the high-throughput genotyping of complex plant genomes

High-throughput genotyping enables the large-scale analysis of genetic diversity in population genomics and genomewide association studies that combine the genotypic and phenotypic characterization of large collections of accessions. Sequencing-based approaches for genotyping are progressively replacing traditional genotyping methods due to the lower ascertainment bias. However, genome-wide genotyping based on sequencing becomes expensive in species with large genomes and a high proportion of repetitive DNA. Here we describe the use of CRISPR/Cas9 technology to deplete repetitive elements in the 3.76-Gb genome of lentil (Lens culinaris), 84% consisting of repeats, thus concentrating the sequencing data on coding and regulatory regions (single-copy regions). We designed a custom set of 566,766 gRNAs targeting 2.9 Gbp of repeats and excluding repetitive regions overlapping annotated genes and putative regulatory elements based on ATAC-Seq data. The novel depletion method removed [~]40% of reads mapping to repeats, increasing those mapping to single-copy regions by [~]2.6-fold. When analyzing 25 million fragments, this repeat-to-single-copy shift in the sequencing data increased the number of genotyped bases of [~]10-fold compared to non-depleted libraries. In the same condition, we were also able to identify [~]12-fold more genetic variants in the single-copy regions and increased the genotyping accuracy by rescuing thousands of heterozygous variants that otherwise would be missed due to low coverage. The method performed similarly regardless of the multiplexing level, type of library or genotypes, including different cultivars and a closely-related species (L. orientalis). Our results demonstrated that CRISPR/Cas9-driven repeat depletion focuses sequencing data on meaningful genomic regions, thus improving high-density and genome-wide genotyping in large and repetitive genomes.

genomics↗

bioRxiv2022

Selection and adaptive introgression guided the complex evolutionary history of European common bean

Domesticated crops have been disseminated by humans over vast geographic areas. After 1492, the common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) was introduced in Europe. Here, we combine whole-genome profiling, metabolic fingerprinting and phenotypic characterisation, and we show that the first common bean cultigens successfully introduced into Europe were of Andean origin, after Francisco Pizarros expedition to northern Peru in 1529. We show that hybridisation, selection and recombination have shaped the genomic diversity of the European common bean in parallel with political constraints. There is clear evidence of adaptive introgression into the Mesoamerican-derived European genotypes, with 44 Andean introgressed genomic segments shared by more than 90% of European accessions and distributed across all chromosomes except PvChr11. Genomic scans for signatures of selection highlight the role of genes relevant to flowering and environmental adaptation, suggesting that introgression has been crucial for the dissemination of this tropical crop to the temperate regions of Europe.

genomics↗

bioRxiv2020

Pod indehiscence in common bean is associated to the fine regulation of PvMYB26 and a non-functional abscission layer

In legumes, pod shattering occurs when mature pods dehisce along the sutures, and detachment of the valves promotes seed dispersal. In Phaseolus vulgaris, the major locus qPD5.1-Pv for pod indehiscence was identified recently. We developed a BC4/F4 introgression line population and narrowed the major locus down to a 22.5-kb region. Here, gene expression and a parallel histological analysis of dehiscent and indehiscent pods identified an AtMYB26 orthologue as the best candidate for loss of pod shattering, on a genomic region ~11 kb downstream of the highest associated peak. Based on mapping and expression data, we propose early and fine up-regulation of PvMYB26 in dehiscent pods. Detailed histological analysis establishes that pod indehiscence is associated to the lack of a functional abscission layer in the ventral sheath, and that the key anatomical modifications associated with pod shattering in common bean occur early during pod development. We finally propose that loss of pod shattering in legumes resulted from histological convergent evolution and that this is the result of selection at orthologous loci. One-sentence summaryA non-functional abscission layer determines the loss of pod shattering; mapping data, and parallel gene expression and histological analysis support PvMYB26 as the candidate gene for pod indehiscence.

genetics↗

bioRxiv2019

Ancient genomes reveal early Andean farmers selected common beans while preserving diversity

All crops are the product of a domestication process that started less than 12,000 years ago from one or more wild populations [1, 2]. Farmers selected desirable phenotypic traits, such as improved energy accumulation, palatability of seeds or reduced natural shattering [3], while leading domesticated populations through several more or less gradual demographic contractions [2, 4]. As a consequence, erosion of wild genetic variation [5] is typical of modern cultivars making them highly susceptible to pathogens, pests and environmental change [6,7]. The loss of genetic diversity hampers further crop improvement programs to increase food production in a changing world, posing serious threats to food security [8,9]. Using both ancient and modern seeds, we analyzed the temporal dynamic of genetic variation and selection during the domestication process of the common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) that occurred in the Southern Andes. Here we show that most domestic traits were selected for prior to 2,500 years ago, with no or only minor loss of whole-genome variation. In fact, i) all ancient domestic genomes dated between 600 and 2,500 years ago are highly variable - at least as variable as a modern genome from the wild; the genetic erosion that we observe in modern cultivars is therefore a recent process that occurred in the last centuries; ii) the majority of changes at coding genes that differentiate wild and domestic genomes are already present in the ancient genomes analyzed here. Considering that most desirable phenotypic traits are likely controlled by multiple polymorphic genes [10], a likely explanation of this decoupling of selection and genomic erosion is that early farmers applied a relatively weak selection pressure [2] by using many phenotypically similar but genomically diverse individuals as breeders. Selection strategies during the last few centuries were probably less sustainable and produced further improvements focusing on few plants carrying the traits of interest, at the cost of marked genetic erosion.

genomics↗