Evaluation of Aegilops tauschiifor Heading Date and Its Gene Location in a Re-synthesized Hexaploid Wheat

The successful worldwide cultivation of hexaploid wheat in a diverse range of environments is because of, in part, breeding and selection for appropriate heading date. To adjust and fine-tune the heading time of hexaploid wheat to particular geographical regions and specific environment within these, there is an urgent need to evaluate and use alternative alleles for heading time. Aegilops tauschii, the donor species of D-genome of hexaploid wheat, has a wide geographic distribution. The present study revealed a wide variation for heading time among 56 Ae. tauschii accessions. All the accessions with short heading dates belonged to the ssp. tauschii, whereas most of ssp. strangulata accessions showed very long heading date. The heading date was also related to distribution of this species. The monotelosomic and monosomic analysis of a synthetic hexaploid wheat showed that chromosome 2D derived from ssp. tauschii accession AS60 had a major effect on promoting heading time with a reduction of more than 5 days. It is postulated that this Ae. tauschii genotype possess the allele Ppd-D^t1 responsible for the insensitivity to photoperiod. This allele is probably different from Ppd-D1 existing in hexaploid wheat. The new allele Ppd-D^t1 derived from Ae. tauschii might be used as a source for hexaploid wheat breeding on photoperiod response.     

Allelic Variation and Genetic Diversity at Glu-1 Loci in Chinese Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) Germplasms

Wheat processing quality is greatly influenced by the seed proteins especially the high molecular weight glutenin subunit (HMW-GS) components, the low molecular weight glutenin subunit (LMW-GS) components and gliadin components. Genes encoding the HMW-GS and LMW-GS components were located on the long arms and the short arms of homoeologous group 1 chromosomes, respectively. HMW-GS components in 5 129 accessions of wheat germplasms were analyzed systematically, including 3 459 landraces and 1 670 modern varieties. These accessions were chosen as candidate core collections to represent the genetic diversity of Chinese common wheat (Triticum aestivum ) germplasms documented and conserved in the National Gene Bank. These candidate core collections covered the 10 wheat production regions in China. In the whole country, the dominating alleles at the three loci are Glu-A1b (null), Glu-B1b (7 + 8), and Glu- D1a (2 + 12), respectively. The obvious difference between the land race and the modern variety is the dramatic frequency increase of alleles Glu-A1a (1), Glu-B1c (7 + 9), Glu-B1h (14 + 15), Glu-D1d (5 + 10) and allele cording 5 + 12 subunits in the later ones. In the whole view, there is minor difference on the genetic(allelic)richness between the landrace and the modern variety at Glu-1, which is 28 and 30 respectively. However, the genetic dispersion index (Simpson index) based on allelic variation and frequencies at Glu-A1, Glu-B1 and Glu-D1 suggested that the modern varieties had much higher genetic diversity than the landraces. This revealed that various isolating mechanisms (such as auto-gamous nature, low migration because of undeveloped transposition system) limited the gene flow and exchange between populations of the landraces, which led up to some genotypes localized in very small areas. Modern breeding has strongly promoted gene exchanges and introgression between populations and previous isolated populations. In the three loci, Glu-B1 has the highest genetic diversity, then Glu-D1, while Glu- A1 always keeps the lowest genetic diversity. In the landrace, the three regions with the highest allelic richness are Huanghuai Winter Wheat Region, Northwest Spring Wheat Region and Southwestern Winter Wheat Region. For the bred varieties, the highest allelic richness existed in Southwest Winter Wheat Region, Huanghuai Winter Wheat Region, Low & Middle Branch Winter Wheat Region of Yangtze River. Introduction and utilization of foreign varieties in cross breeding has had great effects on the allelic components and frequency of the three loci, which greatly affected the genetic dispersion index. This has made “population“ of the modern variety quite different from that of the landrace.     

Genetic and Association Mapping Study of English Grain Aphid Resistance and Tolerance in Bread Wheat Germplasm

English grain aphid （EGA） is a destructive insect pest of wheat. To identify the loci associated with EGA resistance and tolerance, 70 bread wheat accessions mainly from central Asia were evaluated for EGA resistance and tolerance traits at two locations, and genotyped with 51 SSR markers. Totally, three accessions showed high or moderate levels resistance and 17 genotypes displayed highly or moderately tolerate to EGA. Genetic diversity of these lines was investigated also. After 97 SSR loci which evenly covered all wheat chromosomes were scanned for association, four SSR loci were significantly associated with EGA resistance and four with EGA tolerance. After association analysis was conducted with dynamic aphid densities, we found four loci Xgwm192b, Xgwm391, Xbarc98, and Xgwm613b were detected continuously at different growing stages of wheat. In addition, the loci of EGA resistance/tolerance and Russian wheat aphid resistance were compared. The results generated in this study would be helpful for utilization of the EGA resistance/tolerance germplasm, and for development of mapping populations in EGA resistance breeding programs.     

Evolution of varieties and development of production technology in Egypt wheat: A review

Wheat was the first crop grown in Egypt, and it remains highly important. Egypt is the largest wheat importer in the world and consumes an extensive amount of bread. It is imperative for wheat scientists to decrease the large gap between production and consumption. Wheat yields in Egypt increased 5.8-fold(6.7 billion kg) between 1961 and 2017 due to variety improvement and the use of better planting methods such as the raised bed method, ideal sowing date, surge flow irrigation and farm irrigation systems, laser levelling, fertilizers, and intercropping with raised beds. In this paper, the development of wheat production techniques and variety evolution over more than five decades in Egypt have been analyzed. In particular, we have focused on the technologies, cultural practices and causes for per unit area yield increase. The main purpose was to study the issues that have arisen during wheat production and to make recommendations for smart agricultural practices. In 1981, the yield was 3 300 kg ha–1 and through the improvement of varieties, expansion of agricultural land and the adoption of modern agricultural techniques yield reached 6 500 kg ha–1 by 2017. The production growth rate was 4.1% annually, and the total grain yield increased 4.3-fold, from 1.9 billion kg in 1981 to about 8.1 billion kg in 2017. The use of new improved varieties, new cultivation techniques, and modern irrigation techniques contributed to 97.0% of the increase in yield per unit area and 1.5% of the increase in yield was due to planting area expansion. Therefore, the increase in total yield mainly depended on the increase in yield per unit area. Wheat production in Egypt has been improved through the development of breeding and cultivation techniques. The use of these new techniques, the popularization of new high-quality seed varieties, and the use of the raised bed method instead of the old method of planting in basins have made the largest contributions to increased yield. In the future, wheat yield could be further increased by using the tridimensional uniform sowing mode and the development of wheat varieties that are resistant to rusts, deficit irrigation, and abiotic stress, that are highly adaptable to mechanized operation and have high yields. Based on our analysis, we propose the main technical requirements and measures to increase wheat yield in Egypt in the near future.     

Diversity of Antioxidant Content and Its Relationship to Grain Color and Morphological Characteristics in Winter Wheat Grains

The current interest in the health beneifts of whole wheat grain has prompted breeders to further increase the concentration of antioxidants in wheat. The objective of this study was to investigate the variation in antioxidant content among Chinese wheat grains and the relationship between antioxidants and grain color and morphological characteristics. A wide variation was observed in the total phenolic, carotenoid and lfavonoid contents, as well as the antioxidant activity （AOA）, of Chinese wheat varieties. Black wheat had the highest mean total phenolic, carotenoid and lfavonoid contents and the highest AOA, followed by red and white wheats. The grain color parameters were signiifcantly negatively correlated with total phenolic, carotenoid and lfavonoid contents and AOA among all of the wheat varieties examined, and grain weight was also signiifcantly negatively correlated with these traits. The same correlation between grain weight and antioxidant traits was also observed within individual groups of wheat, which indicates that grain weight may be used as an index for selecting wheat varieties with high AOA. Landraces had signiifcantly higher lfavonoid content than commercial wheat varieties. The results of this study may be useful for breeding nutrient-rich wheat varieties.     

小麦多品种混播对条锈病的控制及稳产作用研究（英文）

Wheat stripe rust has become the most dangerous disease which threaten safe yield of wheat in Sichuan Province.It is meaningful to provide technique support for integrated disease control by exploring the effective control measures of wheat stripe rust.Wheat stripe rust dynamic developments of all-planting and mixed-planting have been systematically investigated in this study by taking different mixed-planting combinations among 6 wheat varieties with different resistance levels.The results of this experiment show that the mixed-plantings of 4 and 6 wheat varieties can delay the occurance of wheat stripe rust,slow the speed of disease and decline the damage of disease as well as stabilize yield of wheats.     

Diversity of Growth Habits and Their Association with VRN Allele of 81 American Wheat Lines

Eighty-one wheat accessions including 50 southern regional performance nursery （SRPN） lines and 31 northern regional performance nursery （NRPN） lines from the United States were tested to evaluate the growth habit by chilling treatments and to estimate the VRN allele variation with 19 pairs of published VRN primers. Two spring wheat accessions and 44 semi-spring wheat accessions were confirmed based on their chilling days＇ requirement and polymorphism was found at VRN loci. The Vrn-A1 allele had the highest frequency in the RPN accessions and VA1-CAPs markers identified growth habit of RPN lines. No polymorphism was found at the VRN3 loci and some polymorphism at the region of promoter and the first intron of VRN1 was not always consistent to growth habit in the wheat RPN accessions. The existence of variation in VRN alleles suggested that singly using the dominant Vrn allele is possible to extend the diversity of wheat accessions and improve their adaption to different environments in autumn-sowing region. This information will be useful for the cultivars exploitation and wheat breeding program.     

Modelling Agronomically-Suitable Sowing Date in Relation to the Risk of Frost Damage and Heat Stress of Wheat in Southern New South Wales,Australia

Sowing time of wheat in south eastern Australia varies from autumn to early winter, depending on the seasonal ＇break＇. Wheat yields are often reduced by frost damage at flowering time and by heat-and/or water-stress during grain filling. Selecting suitable varieties for specific sowing times is a complex decision farmers make because these varietal phenology and climate risks have to be assessed together. In order to help farmers make decisions, they need tools that simulate and analyse agronomically-suitable sowing dates （ASSD） for a given variety of wheat. The hypothesis underlining this study is the integration of a wheat phenology model with historical climate data is an effective approach to modelling the ASSD of current varieties used in the wheat growing areas of Southern NSW. The parameters of the wheat phenology model were based on data from five years of field experimentation across 15 sites. Data from four sites were used to examine varietal suitability in relation to sowing time and its associated risks of frost and heat damage. The optimum ASSD for any variety at 72 locations across Southern NSW was investigated. The results showed that there were substantial spatial variations in the ASSD across the target region. ASSD for a late maturing wheat genotype （EGA Gregory） can range from early March to late April, while the earliest acceptable sowing date for an early maturing spring wheat genotype （H46） can range from early to late May. The wide range of spatial variation in the earliest and latest sowing dates, as well as the varied length of sowing opportunities, highlighted the importance of being able to apply a modelling approach which can integrate information on crop phenology with climate risk for a given location. This approach would allow better decision-making on suitable varieties and sowing dates in order to minimise the risk of frost and heat damage affecting crop yield.     

The Variation and Stability Analysis of Wheat Dough Stability Time

Farinograph dough stability time is an important index for classifying wheat, and it often indicates the most appropriate end use for the wheat cultivars. This study aimed at the problem of large fluctuations in dough stability time that occurs during the commercial wheat production. The variations in the dough stability time and its consistency across locations and years were analyzed using 12 principal high-quality wheat cultivars （varieties） obtained from Shandong Province, China, which were grown at nine different locations for three successive years. The results showed that the coefficient of variation for the dough stability time ranged from 24.29 to 49.60% across different varieties, locations, and years. Additive main effects and multiplicative interaction （AMMI） analysis indicated that there were significant interactions for the dough stability time between the varieties, the growth locations, and the years. The genotype effect was the most noticeable, followed by the interaction of the genotype and the environment. The environmental effect was the least significant. The interactions between the varieties and the locations differ considerably, however, each cultivar （variety） apparently has a specific adaptability to the growth location. Therefore, for the successful commercial scale production of the high-quality wheat varieties, both the selection of proper cultivars and its most suitable growth locations to meet the desired requirements for the dough mixing stability time are important.     

Quantitative Trait Loci for Panicle Size and Grain Yield Detected in Interval RM111-RM19 784 on the Short Arm of Rice Chromosome 6

A rice residual heterozygous line （RHL） carrying a heterozygous segment extending from RM111 to RM19784 on the short arm of rice chromosome 6 was selected from a RHL-derived population used previously. The resultant F2：3 population was used to detect quantitative trait loci （QTLs） for three yield traits, the number of spikelets per panicle （NSP）, the number of grains per panicle （NGP） and grain yield per plant （GY）. Two QTLs for NSP, one QTL for NGP and one QTL for GY were detected, all of which were partially dominant and had the enhancing alleles from the maternal line Zhenshan 97B. Analysis based on the genotypic groups of the markers closely linked to the two QTLs for NSP indicated that they did not interact with each other. Two F2 populations and two near isogenic line （NIL） sets segregating in two sub-regions of interval RM111-RM19784 were developed. The two QTLs for NSP were validated, of which one had major effect and was co-segregated with heading date gene Hdl, and the other had smaller effect and was located in an upper region linked to Hdl. The two regions also showed significant effects on the number of filled grain and grain yield, although the effect on the number of filled grain was less consistent.     

A Comparative Study on Mutagenic Effects of Space Flight and Irradiation of γ-rays on Rice

The experiment was conducted to study the mutagenic effects of space environment on seedling growth in M1 generation and plant height and heading date in M2 generation in rice. Two types of lines of growth promotion （GP） and growth suppression （GS） were selected from the recombinant inbred lines （RILs） derived from a cross between a sensitive japonica Lemont and a nonsensitive indica Teqing to compare the mutation frequency and mutagenic efficiency for plant height and heading date in the M2 generation. Space environment resulted in 34.9% higher seedling height （SH） in the GP group than in the control, and 39.1% lower in the GS group than in the control, and there was no difference in seed fertility （SF） between the two groups. In M2, mutants of plant height and heading date can be induced by space treatment in both the two groups with lower mutation frequency and mutagenic efficiency in the GP group than in the GS group. There were no significant differences in the physiological damages in M1 between the two groups after γ-rays irradiation treatment. Mutation frequency and mutagenic efficiency of heading date in M2 were higher in the GS group than in the GP group, and the opposite was true for mutagenic efficiency of plant height although the mutation frequency varied between the two groups. The mutation frequencies of plant height and heading date induced by space environment were obviously lower than those by γ-rays irradiation, but the mutagenic efficiency was the opposite for most of the traits. For the GP and GS of seedlings induced by space environment, the GS had higher mutation frequency and mutagenic efficiency for plant height and heading date than the GP in M2.     

Distribution and Selective Effects of Vrn-A1, Vrn-B1, and Vrn-D1 Genes in Derivative Varieties from Four Cornerstone Breeding Parents of Wheat in China

Vernalization, the process of a long exposure to low temperature to induce flowering in plants, is essential for plants to adapt to cold winters. The presence of vernalization genes Vrn-A1, -B1, and -D1 in four cornerstone breeding parents of wheat in China （Funo, Mentana, Yanda 1817, and Bima 4） and 322 derivative varieties （mostly winter wheat） from these parents were determined using PCR based molecular method. The frequencies of the VRN-1 genes in these derivative varieties were in order of Vrn-Dl（67.1%）〉 Vrn-Bl（19.6%）〉 Vrn-Al（5.3%）, which are similar as the former conclusion that Vrn-D1 is associated with the latest heading time, Vrn-A1 the earliest, and Vrn-B1 intermediate values. The frequencies of Vrn-Al and Vrn-B1 loci in the derivative varieties from winter wheat zones were higher than that from spring winter zones. Based on the wheat breeding history in China and the fact of non-random distribution of Vrn-A1 and Vrn-B1 in the derivative varieties from the four parents, there could be a strong selective effect on VRN-1 genes in different regions where the derivative varieties were cultivated.     

Detection of Distorted Segregation in Genotype of Pollen Calli Derived from Hybrid F1 of Cultivated Rice （Oryza sativa L.） Using SSR Markers

S-a, S-b and S-c are three loci for F1 pollen sterility in cultivated rice （Oryza sativa L.）. Taichung 65 （T65） is all Sj/Sj at these three loci, while its F1 pollen sterile near-isogenic lines, TISL2 （S-b）, TISL4 （S-a） and TISL5 （S-c） is Sj/Sj according to their respective sterility locus. Using SSR molecular marker to detect the segregation of the allele Si and Sj in pollen calli population induced from different hybrid F1, which have different pollen sterility locus, showed that the segregation of allele Si and Sj was distorted. The distorted direction of pollen calli population in vitro was not the same as F2 population in vivo. The quantities of pollen callus carrying Sj were much more than that of carrying Siat S-a and S-c locus, the ratio of Si and Sj were 1：4.81 and 1：1.96 respectively. But the opposite tendency was observed at S-b locus, the ratio of Si and Sj being 1：0.35. At the same time, all these results were undisturbed by either culture medium or culture period.     

Release of Stem Rust Resistant Wheat Varieties for Commercial Production in Kenya

Detection in 1999 of a new stem rust （Puccinia graminis f. sp. tritici） race Ug99 in Uganda with broad virulence including the virulence for Sr31 and its migration to Kenya and Ethiopia has been recognized as a significant threat to local and world wheat production. All the Current Kenyan commercial varieties are susceptible to this race. This study was aimed at identifying suitable wheat varieties with resistance to Ug99 and replacing the susceptible commercial varieties through multi-locational testing and variety release. Thirty three lines were identified from a prescreen population of 104 lines and tested in 3 wheat growing regions in Kenya for two seasons in 2006 and 2007. The resulting four superior lines were evaluated under the National Performance Trial （NPT） where two lines which out-performed the best check variety were released as for commercial production. ＇Robin＇ was the best line and out yielded the commercial variety by 27%. ＂Eaglel0＂ was the second best and was better significantly than the check variety. These two lines which combined both adult plant resistant gene Sr2 complex and other major genes are expected to have some durable resistance and may be used to replace the current susceptible commercial varieties grown in Kenya.     

Characterization of Quantitative Trait Loci for Grain Minerals in Hexaploid Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

Wheat is an important source of essential minerals for human body. Breeding wheat with high grain mineral concentration thus benefits human health. The objective of present study was to identify quantitative trait loci (QTLs) controlling grain mineral concentration and to evaluate the relation between nitrogen (N) and other essential minerals in winter wheat. Wheat grains were harvested from field experiment which conducted in China and analyzed for this purpose. Forty-three QTLs controlling grain mineral concentration and nitrogen-related traits were detected by using a double haploid (DH) population derived from winter wheat varieties Hanxuan 10 and Lumai 14. Chromosomes 4D and 5A might be very important in controlling mineral status in wheat grains. Significant positive correlations were found between grain nitrogen concentration (GNC) and nutrients Fe, Mn, Cu, Mg concentrations (FeGC, MnGC, CuGC, MgGC). Flag leaf N concentration at anthesis (FLNC) significantly and positively correlated with GNC, FeGC, MnGC, and CuGC. The study extended our knowledge on minerals in wheat grains and suggested which interactions between minerals should be considered in future breeding program.     

Genetic Relationship Analysis of Ramie Accessions by RAPD Markers

Genetic relationship of 12 ramie varieties with different drought resistance was analysed by using RAPDI Twenty-five 10- mer random primers were used to amplify the total DNA of these varieties. The results ahowed that the amplified products of 12 ramie varieties could be obtained with 12 primers. The length of amplified products was 0.6- 5.15 kb. Ninety bands were identified in total, of which 11 bands were common in all 12 varieties and 79 bands were polymorphic. The polymorphic bands were 87.78% of the total amplified bands. According to the result of cluster analysis, 12 ramie varieties could be divided into two classes and three groups. It was found that high drought resistant varieties were clustered into different groups or subgroups in the same class, which shows near relationship among them.     

Molecular Characterization and SNP Markers of the β-purothionin Gene in Einkorn Wheats

Forty-three gene sequences encoding purothionin were characterized from the three species or subspecies of einkorn wheats. These sequences contained 887 bp, among which 92 SNPs including 29 indel loci were detected, giving an average SNP frequency of one SNP per 9.64 bases. According to these sequences, 5 SNP markers were successfully designed, which were used to mine the variations ofpurothionin genes of 102 einkorn wheat accessions. Based on the 5 detected SNP loci, 102 einkorn wheat accessions could be divided into 21 haplotypes, among which 11 haplotypes contained a single sample. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that the purothionin genes from einkorn wheats were more closely related to those from D genome than B genome. Seven out of the 43 gene sequences were assumed to be pseudogenes by the definition of containing in-frame stop codons and small insertions/deletions leading to frameshift. In the remaining 36 amino acid sequences, the 8 Cys and Tyr-13 loci in the mature thionin domain which played important roles in the biological activities were all conserved, whereas there were some varieties occurred in some other important amino acid residues such as Lys and Arg.     

Characteristics of Rice Plant with Heavy Panicle

Using 15 indica rice varieties with different panicle weight, some ideal plant type characteristics in heavy panicle type of hybrid rice （HPT） and their relation to yield and its components were studied. Results showed that the leaf area index （LAI） of the HPT varieties was lower than that of medium panicle type （MPT） and light panicle type （LPT） varieties, but its decreasing rate of LAI and efficient LAI after heading was slower and had much higher percentage of efficient LAI, specific leaf weight, and ratio of grain to leaf area （cm^2） in comparison with the MPT and the LPT varieties. The length, width, thickness, and area of top three leaves of the HPT varieties were significantly larger than those of the MPT and the LPT varieties, and these components of top three leaves were significantly and positively correlated with the number of spikelets and filled grains, grain weight per panicle, and grain yield. The flag leaf in HPT varieties was erect with sorrow leaf angle, and their leaf angle of 2nd and 3rd leaf from top increased in sequence. The plant height of the HPT varieties was higher than that of the MPT and the LPT varieties, and their leaf site of top three leaves also increased in sequence. Therefore, HPT varieties as an ideal plant type could increase the utilization efficiency of sunlight energy. The ideal plant type characteristics and their adjuncts for the HPT varieties are proposed in this article.     

Evaluation of Genetic Diversity of Sichuan Common Wheat Landraces in China by SSR Markers

Genetic diversity of 62 Sichuan wheat landraces accessions of China was investigated by agronomic traits and SSR markers. The landrace population showed the characters of higher tiller capability and more kernels/spike,especially tiller no./plant of six accessions was over 40 and kernels/spike of three accessions was more than 70. A total of 547 alleles in 124 polymorphic loci were detected with an average of 4.76 alleles per locus by 114 SSR markers. Parameters analysis indicated that the genetic diversity ranked as genome A>genome B>genome D,and the homoeologous groups ranked as 5>4>3>1>2>7>6 based on genetic richness (Ri). Furthermore,chromosomes 2A,1B and 3D had more diversity than that of chromosomes 4A,7A and 6B. The variation of SSR loci on chromosomes 1B,2A,2D,3B,and 4B implied that,in the past,different selective pressures might have acted on different chromosome regions of these landraces. Our results suggested that Sichuan common wheat landraces is a useful genetic resource for genetic research and wheat improvement.     

COVER

正Wheat hybrids have significantly improved grain yield and new cultivars have resulted in better adaptation to adverse environments.Chemical hybridizing agents(CHA)could provide an effective,fl exible,and rapid system for inducing male sterility that would not require fertility restoration during hybrid seed production.It is worth mentioning that SQ-1 is a new type of CHA that has been developed as an effective agent to induce male sterility and to breed new hybrid varieties for wheat production.