Insufficient genetic loci for high density, high yield and high resistance restrict the green revolution in the rapeseed industry. Our aim is to utilize the Brassica napus germplasm resource to dissect genes for excellent agronomic traits by association and linkage analysis combined with multiple-omics methods in Brassica napus, and our current research directions mainly include:

• Exploiting materials and underlying genes for excellent agronomic traits, including yield, quality, and disease resistance in Brassica napus.
• Understanding the underlying the mechanism of excellent agronomic traits formation, and building a molecular regulatory network for the formation, variation and improvement of agronomic traits.
• Understanding the underlying clubroot resistance mechanisms and the interactions between plant and Plasmodiophora brassicae.
• Potential assessment and breeding application of excellent agronomic traits materials and underlying genes.

Funding

• Genetic architecture dissection for plant height and cloning of semi-dwarf genes in superior plant architecture in Brassica napus. 300,000, National Science Foundation of China, 32101813, 2022.1-2024.12

Publications

Year-2024

1. Chuanji Zhao^#, Xiaobo Cui^#, Meili Xie^#, Yi Zhang, Lingyi Zeng, Yueying Liu, Junyan Huang, Xiong Zhang, Chaobo Tong, Qiong Hu, Lijiang Liu, Shengyi Liu. Chromosome-scale genome assembly-assisted identification of Brassica napus BnDCPA1 for improvement of plant architecture and yield heterosis. (2024) Plant Communications, 5, 100854.
2. Chuanji Zhao^#, Yi Zhang^#, Lixia Gao, Meili Xie, Xiong Zhang, Lingyi Zeng, Jie Liu, Yueying Liu, Yuanyuan Zhang, Chaobo Tong, Qiong Hu, Xiaohui Cheng*, Lijiang Liu*, Shengyi Liu. Genome editing of RECEPTOR-LIKE KINASE 902 confers resistance to necrotrophic fungal pathogens in Brassica napus without growth penalties. (2024) Plant Biotechnology Journal, 22 (3), 538-540.

Year-2023

1. Li Yang^#, Meili Xie^#, Yupo Wu, Xiaobo Cui, Minqiang Tang, Lingli Yang, Yang Xiang, Yan Li, Zetao Bai, Junyan Huang, Xiaohui Cheng, Chaobo Tong, Lijiang Liu, Shengyi Liu, Chuanji Zhao*. Genetic mapping and regional association analysis revealed a CYTOKININ RESPONSE FACTOR 10 gene controlling flowering time in Brassica napus L. (2023) Industrial Crops and Products, 193, 116239.
2. Yang Xiang^#*, M.M.U. Helal^#, Longbing Liang, Minqin Zhang, Hongshi Han, Xianglai Dai, Jixian Zhao, Dalun Chen, Xianping Wang, Min Li, Chuanji Zhao*. Genome-wide association study exposed the pleiotropic genes for yield-related and oil quality traits in Brassica napus L. (2023) Oil Crop Science, 8 (3), 156-164.

Year-2022

1. Chuanji Zhao^#, Meili Xie^#, Longbing Liang, Li Yang, Hongshi Han, Xinrong Qin, Jixian Zhao, Yan Hou, Wendong Dai, Caifu Du, Yang Xiang*, Shengyi Liu*, Xianqun Huang. Genome-Wide Association Analysis Combined With Quantitative Trait Loci Mapping and Dynamic Transcriptome Unveil the Genetic Control of Seed Oil Content in Brassica napus L. (2022) Frontiers in Plant Science, 13, 929197.
2. Chuanji Zhao^#, Li Yang^#, Minqiang Tang, Lijiang Liu, Junyan Huang, Chaobo Tong, Yang Xiang, Shengyi Liu, Xiaohui Cheng*, Meili Xie*. Genome-wide association study reveals a GLYCOGEN SYNTHASE KINASE 3 gene regulating plant height in Brassica napus. (2022) Frontiers in Plant Science, 13, 1061196. (IF2022=5.6)
3. Meili Xie^#, Chuanji Zhao^#, Min Song^#, Yang Xiang*, Chaobo Tong. Genome-wide identification and comparative analysis of CLE family in rapeseed and its diploid progenitors. (2022) Frontiers in Plant Science, 13, 998082.
4. Xiaohui Cheng^#, Chuanji Zhao^#, Lixia Gao, Lingyi Zeng, Yu Xu, Fan Liu, Junyan Huang, Lijiang Liu, Shengyi Liu, Xiong Zhang*. Alternative splicing reprogramming in fungal pathogen Sclerotinia sclerotiorum at different infection stages on Brassica napus. (2022) Frontiers in Plant Science, 13, 1008665.

Year-2021

1. Chuanji Zhao, Luqman Bin Safdar, Meili Xie, Meijuan Shi, Zhixue Dong, Li Yang, Xiaohui Cheng, Yueying Liu, Zetao Bai, Yang Xiang, Chaobo Tong, Junyan Huang*, Lijiang Liu*, Shengyi Liu. Mutation of the PHYTOENE DESATURASE 3 gene causes yellowish-white petals in Brassica napus. (2021) The Crop Journal, 9 (5), 1124 – 1134.
2. Zhixue Dong^#, Muhammad Khorshed Alam^#, Meili Xie, Li Yang, Jie Liu, MMU Helal, Junyan Huang, Xiaohui Cheng, Yueying Liu, Chaobo Tong, Chuanji Zhao*, Shengyi Liu. Mapping of a major QTL controlling plant height using a high-density genetic map and QTL-seq methods based on whole-genome resequencing in Brassica napus. (2021) G3: Genes, Genomes, Genetics, 11 (7), jkab118.

Year-2020

1. Chuanji Zhao, Lijiang Liu, Luqman Bin Safdar, Meili Xie, Xiaohui Cheng, Yueying Liu, Yang Xiang, Chaobo Tong, Jinxing Tu*, Junyan Huang*, Shengyi Liu. Characterization and fine Mapping of a yellow-virescent gene regulating chlorophyll biosynthesis and early stage chloroplast development in Brassica napus. (2020) G3: Genes, Genomes, Genetics, 10 (9), 3201 – 3211.