Comprehensive 3D phenotyping reveals continuous morphological variation across genetically diverse sorghum inflorescences

• DOI: 10.1111/nph.16533
• Publication Date: 2020-03-12T06:51:50Z
• Authors: Mao Li; Mon‐Ray Shao; Dan Zeng; Tao Ju; Elizabeth A. Kellogg; Christopher N. Topp
• Keywords: Panicle; Genetic architecture; Trait; Morphometrics

Summary Inflorescence architecture in plants is often complex and challenging to quantify, particularly for inflorescences of cereal grasses. Methods capturing inflorescence analyzing the resulting data are limited a few easily captured parameters that may miss rich underlying diversity. Here, we apply X‐ray computed tomography combined with detailed morphometrics, offering new imaging computational tools analyze three‐dimensional architecture. To show power this approach, focus on panicles Sorghum bicolor , which vary extensively numbers, lengths, angles primary branches, as well shape, size, distribution seed. We imaged comprehensively evaluated panicle morphology 55 sorghum accessions represent five botanical races most common classification system species, defined by genetic data. used our determine reliability morphological characters assigning specimens race found seed features were informative. However, extensive overlap between multivariate trait space indicates phenotypic range each group extends beyond its overall background, indicating unexpectedly weak correlation morphology, identity, domestication history.