Novel imaging techniques to analyze panicle architecture

Abstract

Panicle architecture is known to directly influence grain yield in rice, and thus is an important trait for rice varietal improvement. However, spike branching consequences trigger variation in number of superior and inferior grains and thus affect grain quality. The genetics behind the length of both primary and secondary branches were studied resulting in the identification of cloned genes. Extending this knowledge to include other physiological parameters of panicle architecture is not yet well studied, and it requires high-throughput imaging techniques that are accurate. In this chapter we put the spotlight on Panicle Trait Phenotyping Tool (P-TRAP), a freely available platform independent software to analyze the panicle architecture of rice, as one of such methods that can be used to generate a comprehensive and reproducible panicle architecture data and identify superior breeding lines. P-TRAP measures 15 panicle structure and nine spikelet traits. These quantitative traits can be used in genome-wide association studies to understand their genetic basis.