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Unpredicted, rapid and unintended structural and functional changes occurred during early domestication of Silphium integrifolium, a perennial oilseed

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Abstract

Main conclusion

Selection for increased yield changed structure, physiology and overall resource-use strategy from conservative towards acquisitive leaves. Alternative criteria can be considered, to increase yield with less potentially negative traits.

Abstract

We compared the morphology, anatomy and physiology of wild and semi-domesticated (SD) accessions of Silphium integrifolium (Asteraceae), in multi-year experiments. We hypothesized that several cycles of selection for seed-yield would result in acquisitive leaves, including changes predicted by the leaf economic spectrum. Early-selection indirectly resulted in leaf structural and functional changes. Leaf anatomy changed, increasing mesophyll conductance and the size of xylem vessels and mesophyll cells increased. Leaves of SD plants were larger, heavier, with lower stomatal conductance, lower internal CO2 concentration, and lower resin concentration than those of wild types. Despite increased water use efficiency, SD plants transpired 25% more because their increase in leaf area. Unintended and undesired changes in functional plant traits could quickly become fixed during domestication, shortening the lifespan and increasing resource consumption of the crop as well as having consequences in the provision and regulation of ecosystem services.

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Data availability

Data supporting these results are available and can be provided by the authors.

Abbreviations

A :

Instantaneous CO2 uptake (µmol m−2 s−1)

C i :

Internal CO2 concentration (µmol mol−1)

E :

Instantaneous transpiration rate (mmol m−2 s−1)

g m :

Mesophyll conductance (μmol m−2 s−1 Pa−1)

g s :

Stomatal conductance (mol m−2 s−1)

J :

Electron transport rate (mol CO2 m−2 s−1)

SD:

Semi-domesticated plant

SLA:

Specific leaf area (cm2 g−1)

TPU:

Triose phosphate utilization (mol CO2 m−2 s−1)

V cmax :

Maximum RuBP carboxylation capacity (mol m−2 s−1 CO2)

W :

Wild plant

Γ :

Carbon compensation point (μmol mol−1)

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Funding

This work was also partially funded by PIP 112 2015 0100665CO and PIP 2021-2023 CONICET 11220200100576 (PI: Alejandra Vilela). We gratefully acknowledge support from the Perennial Agriculture Project, a joint project between The Land Institute and The Malone Family Land Preservation Foundation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. CONICET, Museo Egidio Feruglio, Fontana 144, 9100, Trelew, Chubut, Argentina

    D. A. Ravetta, A. E. Vilela & L. Gonzalez-Paleo

  2. The Land Institute, 2440 E Water Well Rd, Salina, KS, 67401, USA

    D. L. Van Tassel

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  1. D. A. Ravetta
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  2. A. E. Vilela
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  3. L. Gonzalez-Paleo
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  4. D. L. Van Tassel
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Correspondence to D. A. Ravetta.

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Ravetta, D.A., Vilela, A.E., Gonzalez-Paleo, L. et al. Unpredicted, rapid and unintended structural and functional changes occurred during early domestication of Silphium integrifolium, a perennial oilseed. Planta 258, 18 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00425-023-04179-z

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