Identification of microRNAs and their targets in quinoa ecotypes with contrasting salinity tolerance

MELGAR A; BURRIEZA HERNÁN; MARTINEZ TOSAR LEANDRO; MALDONADO SARA; ZELADA ALICIA M

Rosario

Simposio; Simposio de Genòmica Funcional de Plantas; 2017

IBR-CONICET

Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd) is a highly nutritious crop of the Andean region that is adapted to thrive in a wide range of agroecosystems. It is an interesting model plant for studies on tolerance of different abiotic stresses. The adaptability of quinoa to various levels of salinity and drought is due to the existence of a wide diversity of ecotypes originating in contrasting agro-environments, and the genetic variability associated to salinity tolerance is a novel source for the discovery of genes of potential use in improving other crops of agronomic importance. It is known that different microRNAs (miRNAs) contribute to plant adaptation to salt stress and they have been proposed as new, promising targets to crop improvement. Here, we conducted an exploratory small RNA sequencing from salt-susceptible and salt-tolerant quinoaecotypes by Illumina paired-ends growing under different salt conditions.We have identified genotype- and stress-specific miRNAs as well as their putative target genes. Our results are a first step to understand the role of miRNA on salinity responses in quinoa and a resource for genetic improvement of quinoa and other crops.