Researchers Develop a Genome Model to Boost Potato Stress Tolerance and Yield

To explore the trade-off between growth and defense in crop plant metabolism, researchers from the Universities of Potsdam and Erlangen, the Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, and the National Institute of Biology in Ljubljana have developed the potato GEM, a genome-scale metabolic model.

This first large-scale metabolic reconstruction of its kind provides a valuable resource for breeding future plant varieties with enhanced stress tolerance and high yield.

With the growing world population, the demand for food is also increasing. Changing environmental conditions are causing annual crop losses worth billions. To ensure food security, crop plants must be prepared for the future in terms of both yield and quality. 

One of the most important crops worldwide is the potato. Viral infections and infestation by herbivores such as the Colorado potato beetle can lead to yield losses of up to 80 percent.

When attacked, plants slow their growth in order to redirect molecular resources towards defense, including the production of signaling and defensive compounds. In contrast, rapid growth increases susceptibility to pests and pathogens, as growth takes priority over defense. 

The research team investigated this trade-off between growth and defense using a genome-scale metabolic model (GEM) for the potato. Their findings have been published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 

Zoran Nikoloski, Professor of Bioinformatics at the University of Potsdam and group leader at the Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology:

"The large-scale metabolic reconstruction Potato-GEM maps the entire known secondary metabolism of this important crop. The mathematical model enables a comprehensive analysis of the interplay between growth and defense processes and provides an excellent platform for further development and application."

"A deeper understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying plant stress responses can improve breeding strategies and help us develop plant varieties with enhanced stress tolerance, yield, and quality."