Unveiling stagnant flooding tolerance in lowland NERICAs: genomic insights and breeding prospects

Rice cultivation in the rainfed lowland ecosystem during the rainy season is prone to encounter substantial flooding challenges in the form of complete submergence or prolonged stagnant flooding. While the Sub1 gene enables rice plants to survive the momentary complete submergence, stagnant flooding...

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Main Authors: Semwal, Vimal Kumar, Afeez, Shittu, Bhadmus, Olatunde A., Jolayemi, Okanlawon, Ramaiah, Venuprasad
Format: Journal Article
Language:Inglés
Published: Springer Nature 2026
Subjects:
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/180033
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author Semwal, Vimal Kumar
Afeez, Shittu
Bhadmus, Olatunde A.
Jolayemi, Okanlawon
Ramaiah, Venuprasad
author_browse Afeez, Shittu
Bhadmus, Olatunde A.
Jolayemi, Okanlawon
Ramaiah, Venuprasad
Semwal, Vimal Kumar
author_facet Semwal, Vimal Kumar
Afeez, Shittu
Bhadmus, Olatunde A.
Jolayemi, Okanlawon
Ramaiah, Venuprasad
author_sort Semwal, Vimal Kumar
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description Rice cultivation in the rainfed lowland ecosystem during the rainy season is prone to encounter substantial flooding challenges in the form of complete submergence or prolonged stagnant flooding. While the Sub1 gene enables rice plants to survive the momentary complete submergence, stagnant flooding, defined by incomplete submergence for extended periods, necessitates moderate stem elongation for survival. In this study, we characterized 60 lowland NERICA varieties under stagnant flooding (SF) conditions, identify tolerant germplasm and detect genomic regions associated with key traits to aid breeding efforts. Phenotypic evaluations revealed significant genetic variability among the NERICA varieties, with some accessions showing 20–60% yield reduction under SF stress. The derived NERICA L-19/IR64 Sub1 RIL population showed improved grain yield under SF compared to both parents and submergence-tolerant checks. A total 27 QTLs were identified associated with plant height, tiller number, panicle number, days to flowering and grain yield. Stable and major-effect QTLs, such as qPH1.1, qPH3.1 and qDTF3.1, were consistent across environments, explaining up to 48% of the phenotypic variation. Several QTLs co-localized, indicating potential pleiotropy or tight linkage. Positional candidate genes associated with these regions include regulators of gibberellin signaling, flowering time and other developmental processes. This study highlights the potential of lowland NERICAs as a genetic resource and provides QTL, donor lines, molecular resources that form a practical basis for marker-assisted selection and pre-breeding of dual-tolerant rice cultivars adapted to climate-induced flooding scenarios in sub-Saharan Africa.
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spelling CGSpace1800332026-01-18T02:04:07Z Unveiling stagnant flooding tolerance in lowland NERICAs: genomic insights and breeding prospects Semwal, Vimal Kumar Afeez, Shittu Bhadmus, Olatunde A. Jolayemi, Okanlawon Ramaiah, Venuprasad rainfed farming lowland water tolerance varieties rice quantitative trait loci marker-assisted selection grain yield plant height Sub-Saharan Africa Rice cultivation in the rainfed lowland ecosystem during the rainy season is prone to encounter substantial flooding challenges in the form of complete submergence or prolonged stagnant flooding. While the Sub1 gene enables rice plants to survive the momentary complete submergence, stagnant flooding, defined by incomplete submergence for extended periods, necessitates moderate stem elongation for survival. In this study, we characterized 60 lowland NERICA varieties under stagnant flooding (SF) conditions, identify tolerant germplasm and detect genomic regions associated with key traits to aid breeding efforts. Phenotypic evaluations revealed significant genetic variability among the NERICA varieties, with some accessions showing 20–60% yield reduction under SF stress. The derived NERICA L-19/IR64 Sub1 RIL population showed improved grain yield under SF compared to both parents and submergence-tolerant checks. A total 27 QTLs were identified associated with plant height, tiller number, panicle number, days to flowering and grain yield. Stable and major-effect QTLs, such as qPH1.1, qPH3.1 and qDTF3.1, were consistent across environments, explaining up to 48% of the phenotypic variation. Several QTLs co-localized, indicating potential pleiotropy or tight linkage. Positional candidate genes associated with these regions include regulators of gibberellin signaling, flowering time and other developmental processes. This study highlights the potential of lowland NERICAs as a genetic resource and provides QTL, donor lines, molecular resources that form a practical basis for marker-assisted selection and pre-breeding of dual-tolerant rice cultivars adapted to climate-induced flooding scenarios in sub-Saharan Africa. 2026-01-06 2026-01-18T02:04:06Z 2026-01-18T02:04:06Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/180033 en Limited Access Springer Nature Semwal, Vimal Kumar, Shittu Afeez, Olatunde A. Bhadmus, Okanlawon Jolayemi, and Ramaiah Venuprasad. "Unveiling stagnant flooding tolerance in lowland NERICAs: genomic insights and breeding prospects." Theoretical and Applied Genetics 139, no. 27 (2026).
spellingShingle rainfed farming
lowland
water tolerance
varieties
rice
quantitative trait loci
marker-assisted selection
grain yield
plant height
Sub-Saharan Africa
Semwal, Vimal Kumar
Afeez, Shittu
Bhadmus, Olatunde A.
Jolayemi, Okanlawon
Ramaiah, Venuprasad
Unveiling stagnant flooding tolerance in lowland NERICAs: genomic insights and breeding prospects
title Unveiling stagnant flooding tolerance in lowland NERICAs: genomic insights and breeding prospects
title_full Unveiling stagnant flooding tolerance in lowland NERICAs: genomic insights and breeding prospects
title_fullStr Unveiling stagnant flooding tolerance in lowland NERICAs: genomic insights and breeding prospects
title_full_unstemmed Unveiling stagnant flooding tolerance in lowland NERICAs: genomic insights and breeding prospects
title_short Unveiling stagnant flooding tolerance in lowland NERICAs: genomic insights and breeding prospects
title_sort unveiling stagnant flooding tolerance in lowland nericas genomic insights and breeding prospects
topic rainfed farming
lowland
water tolerance
varieties
rice
quantitative trait loci
marker-assisted selection
grain yield
plant height
Sub-Saharan Africa
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/180033
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