The temporal transcriptional regulation enhances genomic prediction accuracy for poplar radial growth

Chenchen Guo; Xuan Yang; Shicheng Pang; Yingnan Chen; Jianjun Hu; Suyun Wei

doi:10.1016/j.jgg.2026.02.026

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The temporal transcriptional regulation enhances genomic prediction accuracy for poplar radial growth

doi: 10.1016/j.jgg.2026.02.026

a. State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Biotechnology of Educational Department of China, Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Silvicultural Sciences of Jiangsu Province, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210037, China;
b. College of Information Science and Technology & Artificial Intelligence, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210037, China;
c. State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Research Institute of Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing 100091, China

Funds:

The work was supported by the Major Project of Agricultura Biological Breeding (2022ZD0401501) and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (32471900).

Received Date: 2025-11-25
Accepted Date: 2026-02-27
Rev Recd Date: 2026-02-24

Available Online: 2026-03-06

Abstract

Abstract

The growth rhythm of perennial plants is precisely regulated by stage-specific transcriptional programs. This study investigates the genetic mechanisms underlying seasonal radial growth in poplar and improves genomic selection by leveraging these regulatory signals. Longitudinal transcriptome profiles of 100 individuals across 5 critical developmental stages are integrated with whole-genome and dynamic growth phenotypes to identify core regulatory genes and functional networks. Transcriptome-wide association studies reveal limited overlap of stem diameter-associated genes across developmental stages, with stage-enriched biological processes supporting dynamic transcriptional regulation during poplar radial growth. Co-expression network analysis further demonstrates that energy metabolism centered on the tricarboxylic acid cycle serves as a key biological process driving rapid radial growth. Through multi-omics integration, core candidate genes that coordinately regulate essential pathways are identified, including cell division, polar expansion, energy allocation, and auxin transport. Notably, targeted transcriptome-integrated models incorporating these functionally important genes significantly improve the predictive accuracy of genomic selection for stem diameter compared to conventional whole-genome or transcriptome-based approaches. This study reveals the temporal molecular regulatory mechanisms underlying poplar radial growth and proposes an effective strategy for enhancing genomic prediction accuracy by integrating trait-associated transcriptional signals, offering a promising framework for precision breeding in perennial trees.
- Poplar radial growth,
- Stage-specific transcriptional regulation,
- Co-expression networks,
- Multi-omics integration,
- Genomic selection accuracy

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