Biology subjects

Fumia, N.

Publications and source records attributed to Fumia, N..

3 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2026

Unlocking the potential of Capsicum Germplasm Collections for Climate Resilience and Fruit Quality

Climate change increasingly threatens global Capsicum (pepper) production. Accelerating the deployment of climate-resilient cultivars requires effective use of genetic diversity conserved in genebanks. We implement a "turbocharging" strategy in Capsicum by integrating genome-wide association studies and genomic prediction in a core collection (n = 423), followed by genomic prediction across the global collection (n = 10,250) using the core as a training population. We generated genomic estimated breeding values (GEBVs) for 31 high-accuracy traits (r > 0.5) encompassing hyperspectral phenotypes (heat/control), agronomic performance (heat/control) and fruit quality. To enhance accessibility and decision-making, we developed a large language model (LLM) integrated application that enables flexible, preference-based selection of candidates. By narrowing the parental decision space, this framework streamlines screening of large germplasm collections while balancing climate resilience, quality attributes and market demands. Our approach provides a scalable decision-support system to accelerate climate-resilient Capsicum breeding and maximize global genetic resources.

plant biology↗

bioRxiv2024

Climate resilience conserved in global germplasm repositories: Picking the most promising parents for agile plant breeding

Crop diversity is an essential resource for national and international breeding programs aimed at preparing global agriculture for a changing climate to ensure global food security. To do this there are related risks that need to be evaluated (1) does the genetic diversity needed for climate adaptation exist somewhere? And (2) is such genetic diversity accessible? To evaluate these risks, we consider the test case of publicly available genotyped and georeferenced sorghum landraces (n = 1,937) to ask if diversity is sufficient to support breeding for climate change adaptation. Answering these questions allows for characterization of the best potential parents and the geographies that harbor the most potentially promising genetypes for crop improvement. We subset this data into national, regional, and global geographic regions, and complete/mini core collections to understand the potential for climate adaptation in regional germplasm. Study accessions were given a future climate resilience score based on future climatic projections and a genomic adaptive capacity score using genomic estimated adaptive values (GEAVs) generated from environmental genomic selection - EGS) to ask whether this accessible diversity stored in germplasm repositories is potentially sufficient to meet forecasted changes in growing environments under climate change. We find that genomic resilience capacity is highly variable among countries and regions. High geographical variability was also found for climate resilience. To equitably adapt agriculture to future climate conditions, increased accessibility to plant genetic resources is essential.

genomics↗

bioRxiv2020

Specific breeding system and ploidy interactions increase niche adaptability in potatoes

Understanding the factors driving ecological and evolutionary interactions of economically important plant species is important for sustainability. Niches of crop wild relatives, including wild potatoes (Solanum section Petota), have received attention, however, such information has not been analyzed in combination with phylogenetic histories, genomic composition and reproductive systems. We used a combination of ordinary least-squares (OLS) and phylogenetic generalized least-squares (PGLM) analyses to identify the discrete climate classes that wild potato species inhabit in the context of breeding system and ploidy. Self-incompatible diploid or self-compatible polyploid species significantly increase the number of discrete climate niches inhabited. This result was sustained when correcting for phylogenetic non-independence in the linear model. Our results support the idea that specific breeding system and ploidy combinations increase niche divergence through the decoupling of geographical range and niche diversity, and therefore, these species may be of particular interest for crop adaptation to a changing climate.

ecology↗