Simulating Genotype-Phenotype Interaction Using Extended Functional-Structural Plant Models: Approaches, Applications and Potential Pitfalls

Abstract

Modelling approaches have increasingly been used as a supplementary tool in understanding the build-up and diversity of crop phenotypes, and their relations with morphogenesis. Among these approaches, Functional-Structural Plant Models (FSPMs) have been developed to simulate complex interactions between plant architecture and physiological processes. In this chapter, we introduce an FSPM of rice that simulates growth and morphology of individual rice plants and of small stands from germination to seed maturity. This model covers selected ecophysiological processes including photosynthesis and sink functions based on a common assimilate pool. We furthermore introduce here for the first time an extension of the rice FSPM with a module for genetics, which constitutes a genotype-phenotype model coupling quantitative genetic information of the phenotypic trait plant height with the morphogenetic rules leading to this composite trait. Lastly, a virtual breeding model is presented: this extended model enables the virtual reproduction of quantitative genetic information and the generation of a new simulated mapping population, in both its phenotypic and genotypic form. Finally, the current pitfalls and problems, and the potential uses of the virtual breeding model are discussed.