AUTHOR=Adedeji-Badmus Adebimpe N. , Schramm Sebastian , Gigl Michael , Iwebema Williams , Albertos Pablo , Dawid Corinna , Sieberer Tobias , Poppenberger Brigitte 

TITLE=Species-Specific Variation in Abscisic Acid Homeostasis and Responses Impacts Important Traits in Crassocephalum Orphan Crops

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Plant Science

VOLUME=13

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/plant-science/articles/10.3389/fpls.2022.923421

DOI=10.3389/fpls.2022.923421

ISSN=1664-462X

ABSTRACT=<p><italic>Crassocephalum rubens</italic> and <italic>Crassocephalum crepidioides</italic> are plant species native to Africa, but grow in most tropical and subtropical regions of the world. They are rich in vitamins, minerals, and essential oils and are traditional leafy vegetables and medicinal plants in Sub-Saharan Africa. The plants are still mainly collected from the wild but shall be taken into cultivation and an important aim in the domestication of these species is to improve traits that are relevant for crop production. Here, seed formation and germination capacities in <italic>C. crepidioides</italic> and <italic>C. rubens</italic> were investigated, and it was found that <italic>C. crepidioides</italic> exhibits a higher level of seed dormancy, which could be broken with light, and was correlated with higher amounts of abscisic acid (ABA), a plant hormone that promotes seed dormancy. ABA is also very well-known for its role in abiotic stress tolerance, and it is shown that tetraploid <italic>C. crepidioides</italic> exhibits a higher level of resistance against drought and heat stress than diploid <italic>C. rubens</italic>, traits that will benefit the cultivation of these plants, particularly in rain-fed cropping systems. The potential of <italic>Crassocephalum</italic> to improve nutrition and increase the resilience of marginal cropping systems in Africa is discussed.</p>