Efficient cell reprogramming as a target for functional-marker strategies? Towards new perspectives in applied plant-nutrition research

The review aims at visualizing and strengthening approximation of current strategies in plant breeding, plant nutrition, and molecular biology Innovations in new breeding strategies on quantitative traits are based on the development of functional DNA markers. This requires knowledge on robust physiological key reactions or parameters in view of the desired agronomic trait. To understand the significance of adaptive molecular-physiological factors for the expression of agronomic traits in quantitative terms, systems analyses have to demonstrate the phenotypic effect of differential gene activities. The logistic to advance in applied systems biology is currently being strongly discussed. In the present contribution, identification of target cells, which are important for agronomic traits, is stressed as a key for future modeling and virtual experimentation. Integration of target cells in systems analysis should allow to link top-down approaches, that start at the whole-plant level, with bottom-up approaches, that come from the molecular level. To illustrate the importance of adaptive cell reprogramming for agronomic traits, reprogramming of rhizodermic cells to trichoblasts is pointed out in its role for nutrient efficiency (NE). The nature of molecular factors, which may serve as functional markers in breeding, is discussed in view of future marker developments.