Understanding Boron deficiency responses in pea through multi-omics analysis

Boron (B) deficiency leads to diminished crop yields. This thesis employed multi-omics approaches to investigate the pea plant's responses to B deficiency. Such approaches offer a comprehensive and integrative view, capturing the complexity and interconnectedness of molecular networks. Transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses spotlighted the roles of jasmonate signalling, cell wall remodelling, phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, and oxidative stress responses. Single-cell RNA-seq revealed specific responses in different cell types within the shoot apices. Moreover, B deficiency led to the downregulation of chromatin remodelling genes, which explains the impaired shoot apical meristem development. These insights suggest potential targets for breeding B stress-tolerant crops.