Genome editing of the flowering time pathway for soybean regional adaptability

SémIDEEV
 22/11/2024
 12:00:00
 Manon Monfort, IJBP
 IDEEV - Salle Rosalind Franklin

Soybean’s ability to fix atmospheric nitrogen makes it a key asset for the development of agroecology in Europe. However, as a short-day legume, soybean cultivation is geographically restricted due to its sensitivity to photoperiod (day length). Its adaptation to long days in high-latitude regions requires early flowering. The control of flowering is regulated by a complex network of genes, which complicates traditional breeding methods. During my PhD, I employed an innovative genome-editing strategy, using CRISPR-Cas9 for multiple gene knockouts, to create allelic diversity within the genetic network regulating soybean flowering, aiming to develop early-flowering varieties. To achieve this, I selected ten flowering repressor genes for inactivation, generating soybean populations with early flowering traits. Phenotyping and genotyping results indicate the creation of allelic diversity with varying flowering times, some flowering up to four weeks earlier than controls. These findings highlight the potential of genome-editing techniques for improving soybean cultivation in Europe, enhancing food autonomy while contributing to the ecological transition.