Quantitative trait loci associated with salinity tolerance in field grown bread wheat

The differential response to field salinity of the parents of the ITMI wheat mapping population (cv. Opata 85 and the synthetic hexaploid W7984) was exploited to perform a QTL analysis of the response to salinity stress of a set of agronomic traits over two seasons. The material was irrigated either with potable water (EC of 1.0 dS m⁻¹) or with diluted seawater (12.0 dS m⁻¹). Grain yield was positively correlated with tiller number, plant height, percentage survival, ear weight, ear length, grain number per ear, grain weight and thousand grain weight, and negatively with time to booting, anthesis and physiological maturity, under both the control and salinity stress treatments. In all, 22 QTL were detected under control conditions, and 36 under salinity stress. Of the latter, 13 were major loci (LOD > 3.0) and eight were reproducible across both seasons. Chromosome 2D harboured 15 salinity stress associated QTL and chromosome 4A six such QTL. The remaining loci were located on chromosomes 2A, 5A, 6A, 7A, 1B, 4B, 3B, 6B, 7B and 6D.     

Inheritance of Karnal bunt-free trait in bread wheat

A Karnal bunt (KB)‐free wheat stock (‘KBRL22’) obtained from a cross of two resistant lines (‘HD29’ and ‘W485’) was used as a donor to introgress the KB‐free trait into ‘PBW343’(an ‘Attila’ sib), the most widely grown wheat cultivar in India. The number of KB‐free and KB‐affected plants in BC ₁, BC₂, BC₃ and BC₄ as well the F₂ was recorded after artificial inoculations. The segregation pattern in these generations clearly indicated two independently segregating, dominant genes which jointly confer the KB‐free attribute. The importance of the KB‐free line generated in this experiment is discussed.     

Allelic variants of granule-bound starch synthase proteins in European bread wheat varieties

The composition of 324 European wheat cultivars were analysed at the three granule‐bound starch synthase (GBSS I) loci. Protein separation was first made by sodium dodecyl sulphate‐polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS‐PAGE. A specific two‐dimensional (2D) electrophoresis (immobilized pH gradient × SDS‐PAGE) using an Immobiline dry strip in the first dimension was developed to resolve the GBSS I proteins more clearly and to confirm some results. Very low polymorphism was found. Among the 324 cultivars analysed, only one carried a Wx‐A1 null allele (Wx‐A1b) and none was found to have the Wx‐2D null allele. As described in the literature the Wx‐B1 locus was more polymorphic and the null allele was encountered in 11 cultivars. The use of 2D electrophoresis allowed us to find another type of variant which presented as having thicker band with same mobility as the Wx‐D1 protein in SDS‐PAGE. Twelve per cent of the cultivars analysed presented this band and could have been previously mistaken for cultivars carrying the Wx‐B1 null allele. Indeed this band probably corresponded to the Wx‐B1? or Wx‐B1e allele overlapping with the Wx‐D1a allele in SDS‐PAGE.     

Seed storage protein composition of Hellenic bread wheat cultivars

The allelic diversity in seed storage proteins of 25 bread wheat cultivars grown in Hellas was investigated. In total, 15–20 seeds per cultivar were used for the determination of the alleles present at the loci coding for high‐molecular‐weight glutenin subunits and gliadins. For this purpose, acid polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis for gliadins and SDS‐electrophoresis for glutenins were employed. Analysis of the electrophoretic patterns revealed that intravarietal selections obtained from the cultivar ‘Nestos’, together with the cultivar ‘Eurydice’ which was selected from the cultivar ‘Nestos’, were identical to their original cultivar and to the cultivar ‘Dodoni’. The cultivars ‘Penios’, ‘Siette Cerros E’, ‘Gorgona’ and ‘Louros’, although recorded to differ in descent, were found to be identical at all the loci examined. Finally, it was revealed that four of the Hellenic cultivars carry the wheat‐rye 1BL/1RS translocation. These data could be beneficial for a better understanding of the existing differences in quality and stress‐resistance between the cultivars examined.     

Identification and characterization of quantitative trait loci related to lodging resistance and associated traits in bread wheat

Lodging is a major constraint to increasing yield in many crops, but is of particular importance in the small‐grained cereals. This study investigated the genetic control of lodging and component traits in wheat through the detection of underlying quantitative trait loci (QTL), The analysis was based on the identification of genomic regions which affect various traits related to lodging resistance in a population of 96‐doubled haploid lines of the cross ‘Milan’בCatbird’, mapped using 126‐microsatellite markers. Although major genes related to plant height (Rht genes) were responsible for increasing lodging resistance in this cross, several other traits independent of plant height were shown to be important such as fool and shoot traits, and various components of plant yield. Yield components such as grain number and weight were shown to be an indicator of plant susceptibility to lodging. QTL for lodging and associated traits were found on chromosomes IB, ID. 2B. 2D. 4B, 4D. 6D and 7D. QTL for yield and associated traits were identified on chromosomes IB, ID. 2A. 2B. 2D. 4D and 6A,     

Induced mutagenesis for the development of multiline cultivars in bread wheat

Summary Variation for resistance toPuccinia graminis f.sp.tritici, P. recondita f.sp.tritici andP. striiformis was induced in theTriticum aestivum cultivar Lalbahadur using nitrosomethyl urea. Variations were isolated from the M₂ population in the post-seedling stage in the field when infected with a mixture of races of each of the three rusts. Plants exhibiting simultaneous resistance to stem rust, leaf rust and yellow rust were indentified. Repeated screening in the subsequent generations confirmed the resistance of the mutant lines that are morphologically similar to the parental cultivar. The rust resistance of 20 mutant lines was also confirmed at the seedling stage using individual races of stem rust and leaf rust. The different patterns observed in the mutant lines tested against a wide range of races show that these lines can be used as components of a multiline. The patterns of variation compared with those of the known genes for resistance against the Indian races of the pathogens suggest that the mutations for rust resistance are due to factor different from those already known in bread wheat, providing a broadened genetic base for future breeding programmes.     

Resistance to leaf rust in cultivars of bread wheat and durum wheat grown in Spain

A set of bread wheat and durum wheat cultivars adapted to Spanish conditions was tested for resistance against leaf rust caused by different pathotypes of Puccinia triticina in field trials and in growth chamber studies. Lower levels of resistance were found in durum wheat than in bread wheat. The most frequent Lr genes found in bread wheat were Lr1, Lr10, Lr13, Lr20, Lr26 and Lr28. In durum wheat, additional resistance genes that differed from the known Lr genes were identified. The level of partial resistance to leaf rust was in general low, although significant levels were identified in some bread wheat and durum wheat cultivars.     

The crossability percentages of 96 bread wheat landraces and cultivars from Japan with rye

Summary Crossability of bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) from Japan with rye (Secale cereale L.) was investigated by controlled pollination. No normal seeds were produced, but numbers of shrivelled and small seeds with embryos were used to estimate crossability amongst the 96 accessions, viz: 0–10% (29), 10–30% (23), 30–50% (11), 50–90% (33). The investigation for the pedigrees of varieties with more than 50% crossability percentages showed that the kr alleles of some accessions derived from common ancestors.     

Crossability of some bread wheat landraces and improved cultivars from western Himalayas with rye

Summary Crossability of 62 bread wheat accessions (14 landraces from Himachal Pradesh and 48 others) was examined with rye. The 3 rye cultivars did not differ in their relative crossability with 4 of the wheat accessions studied. On the other hand, the wheat cultivars differed greatly among themselves in their crossability with rye. Most of the wheat cultivars showed poor (<10%) crossability. Two of the 14 landraces from Himachal Pradesh were found to be free from the crossability inhibitors as they showed very high (>50%) crossability, whereas none of the other 48 cultivars studied was so.     

Mineral bioavailability in grains of Pakistani bread wheat declines from old to current cultivars

Estimating variation in grain mineral concentration and bioavailability in relation to grain yield and the year of cultivar release is important for breeding wheat with increased content of bioavailable minerals. The grain yield and yield components, grain phytate concentration, and concentration and bioavailability of minerals (zinc Zn, iron Fe and calcium Ca) in wheat grains were estimated in 40 wheat cultivars released in Punjab (Pakistan) during the last five decades. Mean grain Zn and Ca concentrations in current-cultivars were significantly lower (≥14%) than in obsolete cultivars released during the Green Revolution (1965–1976). Much of this variation was related to increased grain weight in current-cultivars. There was a positive correlation among minerals (r = 0.39 or higher, n = 40) and minerals with phytate in wheat grains (r = 0.38 or higher, n = 40). The tested cultivars varied widely in grain yield and grain phytate-to-mineral molar ratios (phytate:mineral). Compared to obsolete cultivars, the current-cultivars had a higher phytate:mineral ratio in grains, indicating poor bioavailability of minerals to humans. The study revealed a non-significant relationship between grain yield and phytate:mineral ratios in grains. Therefore, breeding for lower phytate:mineral ratios in wheat grains can ensure increased mineral bioavailability without significant reduction in the yield potential. Future breeding should be focused on developing new genotypes suitable for mineral biofortification and with increased mineral bioavailability in grains.     

Mapping quantitative trait loci associated with grain filling duration and grain number under terminal heat stress in bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

Terminal heat stress has the potential negative impact on wheat production across the world, especially in South Asia. Under the threat of terminal heat stress, wheat genotypes with stay green trait would suffer from high temperature stress during their long grain filling duration (GFD). The genotypes with short GFD would be advantageous. To identify quantitative trait loci (QTL) for heat tolerance, a RIL population of K 7903 (heat tolerant) and RAJ 4014 (heat sensitive) wheat genotypes was investigated under timely and late‐sown conditions. Heat susceptibility index of GFD, yield components and traits under late‐sown condition were used as phenotypic data for QTL identification. Stable QTLs associated with these traits were identified on chromosomes 1B, 2B, 3B, 5A and 6B. The LOD value ranged from 2.9 to 5.0 and the corresponding phenotyping variation explained ranged from 12.0–22%. QTL for heat susceptibility index for the grain filling duration were colocalized with QTL for productive tillers under late sown and GFD under late‐sown condition on chromosomes 1B and 5A, respectively. These genomic regions could be exploited for molecular wheat breeding programmes targeting heat tolerance.     

Suitability of Chinese wheat cultivars for production of northern style Chinese steamed bread

Fifty-six bread wheat cultivars and advanced lines from major Chinese wheat growing regions and 10 Australian cultivars were grown in Anyang located in Yellow and Huai Valleys and Chengdu located in Yangtze region. The genotypes were examined for their suitability to produce northern style Chinese steamed bread (CSB) and used to investigate the association between wheat quality traits and performance of northern style CSB under manual and mechanized processing conditions. Anyang-sown wheat samples showed better grain quality characteristics and CSB quality than the Chengdu-sown materials. These differences were largely due to adverse climatic conditions prevailing in Chengdu that resulted in the deterioration of flour whiteness, Farinograph stability, and starch quality. Therefore, Chengdu was generally unfavorable for producing good quality wheat. However, significant variability among cultivars was observed in Chengdu, and Batavia, Dollar bird, and Tasman from Australia and Jing 411, Xiaoyan6, and Shaan 229 from China showed very good CSB quality under manual conditions, and Hartog, Batavia, Tasman, and Vulcan from Australia, and Jing 411 and Dongfeng 1from China were identified to confer good CSB quality under mechanized conditions. The wide range of CSB quality variations indicates that genetic improvement of CSB quality is possible in both environments. Protein content, gluten strength, and extensibility were positively associated with loaf volume and steamed bread elasticity. The relationship between gluten strength, extensibility, and appearance and stickiness were highly dependent on processing methods, i.e., negatively using a manual method and positively or slightly negatively using a mechanized process. Therefore, wheat quality requirement for CSB depends on CSB processing conditions. Medium protein content and medium-to-strong gluten strength with good extensibility is desirable for mechanized methods, but weak-to-medium gluten type for manual methods. High flour whiteness and RVA peak viscosity was found desirable for CSB quality regardless of the processing method used. Flour whiteness, falling number, and peak viscosity appeared to be more crucial in determining CSB quality in Chengdu, although protein content and Farinograph stability also contributed to appearance, elasticity, and stickiness. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Identification of bread wheat,durum wheat and barley cultivars adapted to dry areas of Southern Italy

Summary Among the cultivars of bread wheat, durum wheat and barley grown in the South of Italy, genetic variation for adaptation to the high temperature and drought stress conditions typical of the Mediterranean environment has been found.The basic data have been extrapolated from 5 years of Italian national network cultivar trials, where 20–30 cultivars were grown in replicated plot trials in 30–50 locations per year, including some where stress strongly affected grain yield.After careful identification of the most representative years and testing sites it was possible to characterise the cultivars on the basis of the grain yield in stress conditions and the Fischer & Maurer (1978) susceptibility index and to find genotypic differences sufficiently repeatable in years.The cultivars giving the best yield under stress associated with low susceptibility indices were in bread wheat: Etruria, Spada, Pandas, Centauro, Oderzo, Costantino and Gladio, in durum wheat: Aldura, Arcangelo, Adamello, Vespro and Capeiti, in barley: Fleuret, Barberousse, Jaidor, Express, Trebbia, Georgie, Dahlia, Criter and Magie.     

Molecular mapping of quantitative trait loci (QTLs) controlling aluminium tolerance in bread wheat

Aluminium (Al) toxicity is a major constraint to crop productivity in acidic soils. A quantitative trait locus (QTL) analysis was performed to identify the genetic basis of Al tolerance in the wheat cultivar ‘Chinese Spring’. A nutrient solution culture approach was undertaken with the root tolerance index (RTI) and hematoxylin staining method as parameters to assess the Al tolerance. Using a set of D genome introgression lines, a major Al tolerance QTL was located on chromosome arm 4DL, explaining 31% of the phenotypic variance present in the population. A doubled haploid population was used to map a second major Al tolerance QTL to chromosome arm 3BL. This major QTL (Qalt _CS .ipk-3B) in ‘Chinese Spring’ accounted for 49% of the phenotypic variation. Linkage of this latter QTL to SSR markers opens the possibility to apply marker-assisted selection (MAS) and pyramiding of this new QTL to improve the Al tolerance of wheat cultivars in breeding programmes.     

Inheritance of resistance to two Septoria tritici isolates in spring and winter bread wheat cultivars

Summary All possible crosses (including reciprocals) were made among four winter bread (Aurora, Bezostaya 1, Kavkaz, and Trakia) and two Israeli spring wheat cultivars (spring x winter diallel), and among two South American spring wheats (Colotana and Klein Titan) with the same Israeli cultivars (spring x spring diallel) to study the inheritance of resistance to septoria tritici blotch. Parents, F₁, F₂ and backcrosses were grown in two separated blocks in the field over two years. One block was inoculated with isolate ISR398A1 and another with ISR8036. Each plant was assessed for plant height (cm), days to heading (from emergence or transplanting), and percent pycnidia coverage on the four uppermost leaves. Plant height and maturity had insignificant effects on pycnidia coverage. No cytoplasmic effects could be detected. In the spring x winter diallel general combining ability (GCA) was the major component of variation. Significant specific combining ability (SCA) was present in all cases. Partial dominance was operative in populations inoculated with ISR398A1. Resistance in the winter wheats was controlled by a small number of genes (usually two). The four winter wheats derive their resistance to ISR398A1 from their common parent Bezostaya 1 which lacks the 1B/1R wheat-rye translocation. Their resistance is readily overcome by ISR8036. Inheritance of the South American wheats can be explained by additive effects, with a small number of genes of recessive mode affecting resistance to both isolates. Breeding strategies that favor additive, and additive x dominance gene action should be pursued.     

Components of quantitative resistance to yellow rust in ten spring bread wheat cultivars and their relations with field assessments

Latency period, infection frequency, lesion length, lesion growth, disease severity and percentage of infected leaf parts were assessed on 10-day-old seedling leaves and flag leaves of ten bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivars after inoculation with urediospores of Puccinia striiformis Westend. f. sp. tritici. For all components significant genotypic differences were detected. Components of resistance tended to be associated. A long latency period was associated with a low infection frequency, small lesions, a low disease severity and a low percentage of infected leaf parts. The latency period, measured as time period until first pustule appearance (LP1), was highly correlated with the latency period measured as time period until 50% of the pustules appeared (LP50). Assessment of latency period of large numbers of cultivars could therefore be reliably done by measuring LP1 which is less time consuming than measuring LP50. Latency period, infection frequency and disease severity were highly correlated with disease development data from field experiments. These results suggest that selection in the greenhouse for one of these components should result in cultivars with high levels of quantitative resistance. Disease severity after uniform inoculation in the greenhouse can be used for monocyclic evaluations because it is the easiest to assess. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

An analysis of genes for resistance against Indian stem rust races in two bread wheat cultivars

Summary The genetic constitution of two bread wheat accessions from the International Spring Wheat Rust Nurseries (E 5883 and E 6032) has been studied for reaction to four Indian races of stem rust. Analysis of E 5883 has revealed that for each of the races 15C, 21 and 40 a single dominant gene operates for resistance. The dominant gene against race 15C was identified as Sr6. The dominant genes for resistance against races 21 and 40 were found to be different from the genes described so far. Resistance against race 122 is controlled by a single recessive gene producing characteristically a 2 type of reaction. This gene was identified as Sr8.The resistance of E 6032 against each of the races 15C, 21 and 40 is controlled by two genes, one dominant and one recessive, which act independently. Dominant genes effective against 15C, 21 and 40 were conclusively identified as Sr6, Sr5 and Sr9b, respectively. From the correlated behaviour against races 15C and 40 as well as from the phenotypes of the resistance reactions rhe same recessive gene, undescribed so far, operates against the two races. The second recessive gene operating against race 21 was also observed to be different from those so far designated. E 6032 was, however, found to be susceptible to races 122.The presence of Sr6 both in E 5883 and E 6032 against race 15C was further confirmed through F₂ and F₃ segregation data.     

Genetic analysis of adult plant leaf rust resistance in three bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivars

Genetic basis of adult plant leaf rust resistance in three released Indian wheat cultivars viz. DWR195, RAJ3765 and HP1731 was investigated through detailed inheritance study under controlled polythene house condition at Flowerdale, India. The F₂, F_3, F₄ and F₅ generations were analyzed with the most frequent and virulent Indian leaf rust pathotype 121R63-1. Two complementary recessive genes imparted resistance in DWR195, two complementary dominant genes governed the resistance of RAJ3765 whereas two independent dominant genes were involved in the resistance of HP1731. The genes responsible for adult plant resistance in the three cultivars were not allelic. The two complementary genes of DWR195 and two independent dominant genes of HP1731 have been isolated as single gene lines. Utilization of resistance from HP1731, which carries two independent dominant genes, will be easy as compared to DWR195 and RAJ3765.