Genome-Wide Identification of the CDPK Gene Family and Their Involvement in Taproot Cracking in Radish

Taproot cracking, a severe and common physiological disorder, markedly reduces radish yield and commercial value. Calcium-dependent protein kinase (CDPK) plays a pivotal role in various plant developmental processes; however, its function in radish taproot cracking remains largely unknown. Here, 37 RsCDPK gene members were identified from the long-read radish genome “QZ-16”. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the CDPK members in radish, tomato, and Arabidopsis were clustered into four groups. Additionally, synteny analysis identified 13 segmental duplication events in the RsCDPK genes. Analysis of paraffin-embedded sections showed that the density and arrangement of fleshy taproot cortex cells are important factors that affect radish cracking. Transcriptome sequencing of the fleshy taproot cortex revealed 5755 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) (3252 upregulated and 2503 downregulated) between non-cracking radish “HongYun” and cracking radish “505”. These DEGs were significantly enriched in plant hormone signal transduction, phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, and plant–pathogen interaction KEGG pathways. Furthermore, when comparing the 37 RsCDPK gene family members and RNA-seq DEGs, we identified six RsCDPK genes related to taproot cracking in radish. Soybean hairy root transformation experiments showed that RsCDPK21 significantly and positively regulates root length development. These findings provide valuable insights into the relationship between radish taproot cracking and RsCDPK gene function.