Population-wide analysis of molecular and metabolic features intrinsic to dormancy variability in single seeds

Seed physiological quality is pivotal to ensure rapid and homogeneous seedling establishment required for stable yield and is a major economic challenge for the seed industry.

Besides germination, vigor and storability or longevity, seed physiological quality also includes seed dormancy, i.e. the seed physiological stage preventing germination even under favorable conditions. While seed dormancy has been widely studied at population level, little has been done at single seed level.

However, homogeneous seed lot production is crucial in plant breeding.

In seeds, dormancy is mainly regulated by DELAY OF GERMINATION 1 (DOG1), a major Quantitative Trait Locus controlling seed dormancy.

DOG1 expression is highly regulated, including by alternative polyadenylation which resulted in the discovery of functional DOG1 protein variant. However, whether this major QTL also regulates individual seed dormancy variability is still unknown.

Here, this project combines several cutting-edge technologies such as single seed RNA sequencing analysis and mass spectrometry imaging to Genome Wide Analysis and mutant characterization to unravel novel regulators of single seed dormancy in Arabidopsis thaliana, with the perspectives to be applied on rapeseed.

While improving my career prospects and learning from the establishment of international collaborations between the host institute in Poland and the academic partner IBMP-CNRS in France, this project POP1Seed is timely, and responds to expectations of the European Framework programme for Research and Innovation.