Genome‐wide miRNAs profiles of pearl millet under contrasting high vapor pressure deficit reveal their functional roles in drought stress adaptations

Pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum [L.] R. Br.) is an important crop capable of growing in harsh and marginal environments, with the highest degree of tolerance to drought and heat stresses among cereals. Diverse germplasm of pearl millet shows a significant phenotypic variation in response to abiotic stresses, making it a unique model to study the mechanisms responsible for stress mitigation. The present study focuses on identifying the physiological response of two pearl millet high‐resolution cross (HRC) genotypes, ICMR 1122 and ICMR 1152, in response to low and high vapor pressure deficit (VPD). Under high VPD conditions, ICMR 1152 exhibited a lower transpiration rate (Tr), higher transpiration efficiency, and lower root sap exudation than ICMR 1122. Further, Pg‐miRNAs expressed in the contrasting genotypes under low and high VPD conditions were identified by deep sequencing analysis. A total of 116 known and 61 novel Pg‐miRNAs were identified from ICMR 1152, while 26 known and six novel Pg‐miRNAs were identified from ICMR 1122 genotypes, respectively. While Pg‐miR165, 168, 170, and 319 families exhibited significant differential expression under low and high VPD conditions in both genotypes, ICMR 1152 showed abundant expression of Pg‐miR167, Pg‐miR172, Pg‐miR396 Pg‐miR399, Pg‐miR862, Pg‐miR868, Pg‐miR950, Pg‐miR5054, and Pg‐miR7527 indicating their direct and indirect role in root physiology and abiotic stress responses. Drought responsive Pg‐miRNA targets showed upregulation in response to high VPD stress, further narrowing down the miRNAs involved in regulation of drought tolerance in pearl millet.