马氏珠母贝生长性状与EST-SSR标记的关联分析

马氏珠母贝(Pinctada martensii)生长性状属于数量性状,为了筛选与马氏珠母贝生长性状位点连锁的分子标记,本研究利用50对多态性SSR引物对选系F4的90个个体的遗传多样性进行了研究,并利用SPSS16.0软件线性模型(GLM)进行了体质量、壳长、壳高和壳宽与标记的关联分析。结果表明,50对SSR引物在90个样本中共检测到204个等位基因,等位基因数(Ne)在2～9之间,平均等位基因4.080,有效等位基因数(Na)为2.574;观察杂合度(Ho)、期望杂合度(He)和多态信息含量(PIC)分别为0.534、0.543和0.491;共检测到15个SSR标记与4个生长性状具有显著相关性(P<0.05),其他35个标记与性状的相关性未达到显著水平(P>0.05);7个SSR标记与体质量显著相关(P<0.05),6个SSR标记与壳长显著相关(P<0.05),6个SSR标记与壳高显著相关(P<0.05),4个SSR标记和壳宽显著相关(P<0.05)。对同一标记不同基因型间进行多重比较,分别找到了4个性状的优势基因型。本研究筛选了与生长性状位点连锁的标记,为后续的分子标记辅助育种提供技术支撑。     

三个野生种群马氏珠母贝遗传多样性的RAPD分析

摘要：为了解野生种群马氏珠母贝（Pimctada martensii (Dunker.)）的遗传结构背景和开展遗传改良育种,运用RAPD技术分析了海南三亚（SW）、广东大亚湾（DW）和广西北海（BW）3个野生种群的遗传多样性。采用了18个10碱基的随机引物对3个野生种群进行分析,其中6个引物能扩增出清晰的多态带谱,扩增的DNA片段大小在含0.2~3.0 kb之间。SW、DW和BW 3个种群内的遗传相似性指数分别为0.642、0.672和0.688,Shannon多样性值分别为0.266、0.211和0.174。马氏珠母贝3个野生种群的遗传相似性依次为SW< DW < BW,而遗传多样性依次是SW > DW> BW。DW和SW相对遗传距离为0.104;DW和BW相对遗传距离为0.094;SW和BW相对遗传距离为0.212。讨论了马氏珠母贝野生种群遗传多样性差异的可能原因、种群间杂交子代的杂交优势预测及人工养殖对野生种群遗传结构的可能影响。     

5种常见珍珠贝的系统发育和遗传多样性分析

利用RAPD标记分析了珠母贝属常见的马氏珠母贝、大珠母贝、珠母贝、解氏珠母贝以及珍珠贝属常见企鹅珍珠贝的系统发育,同时分析了马氏珠母贝和大珠母贝不同地理种群的遗传多样性,并以邻接法（neighbor-joining,NJ）构建了种间及种群间的系统分支图。结果表明：（1）在珍珠贝5种9个种群中,大珠母贝的4个种群最早聚在一起分别成为2个姊妹群,这2个姊妹群聚合为1个单元群后,又与珠母贝聚在一起,然后才与马氏珠母贝姊妹群聚合成的单元群聚合,再与解氏珠母贝聚合,最后才与企鹅珍珠贝聚合;（2）珠母贝属4种珍珠贝进化程度由低到高的等级顺序为解氏珠母贝-马氏珠母贝-珠母贝-大珠母贝;解氏珠母贝是最晚形成的种类;（3）比较5种珍珠贝野生种群的Nei＇s多样性和Shannon多样性值为：马氏珠母贝（0.4111和0.5933）〉珠母贝（0.3971和0.5784）〉企鹅珠母贝（0.3831和0.5493）〉大珠母贝（0.3388和0.4999）〉解氏珠母贝（0.3016和0.4452）;（4）无论是马氏珠母贝,还是大珠母贝,野生种群的遗传多样性值均大于养殖种群。     

EST-SSR标记对我国斑点叉尾鮰种质资源的研究

采用EST-SSRs对福建和湖北的1984年群体（P1984）、福建与辽宁的1997年群体（P1997）、湖南的2004年群体（P2004）和福建的1984年与1997年群体杂交的F。代群体（P8497）等4个斑点叉尾鮰（Ictalurus punctatus）养殖群体的遗传多样性进行了研究。结果表明,有10对引物可扩增出清晰条带,其中9对引物具有多态性,共获得32个等位基因,4个群体的平均等位基因数（A）为3．00-3．40,平均有效等位基因数（Ac）为1．95～2．30,平均观察杂合度（Ho）为O．4768-0．5982,平均期望杂合度（Ho）为004913-0．5695,平均多态信息含量（PIC）为0．4113-0．4829,群体间的多态性差异不显著,且各群体的遗传多样性处于中等水平。根据群体间遗传相似性系数、遗传距离及UPGMA聚类分析发现,P1997和P2004群体之间的遗传距离最近,P1984和P2004群体之间的遗传距离最远。4个群体有18．75％的位点偏离了Hardy-Weinberg平衡,表明群体各位点的基因频率和基因型频率稳定性较好。F-统计检验发现,P2004和P8497处于不同程度的杂合子过剩状态,P1984和P1997处于杂合子缺失状态。群体间分化程度很弱,遗传变异主要来自群体内个体之间。     

小麦杂种优势群研究：I.利用RAPD标记研究小麦品种间遗传差异

选用我国的３８个冬小麦品种（系）和２个加拿大春小麦品种（系），利用ＲＡＰＤ标记进行小麦基因型之间分子标记遗传差异研究，探讨分子标记在建立小麦杂种优势种中的应用。利用５９个随机引物对４０个小麦基因型ＰＣＲ扩增结果表明，其中２９个引物（占４９％）扩增产物经琼脂糖凝胶电泳分离表现多态性，这２９个引物共扩增出１６８条带，其中７８条带（占４６．６％）具有多态性，每个引物可扩增１￣６条多态性带，平均２．７条带     

马氏珠母贝IKKε同源基因的克隆及表达分析

IKKε（inhibitor of NF-κB kinasesε）是NF-κB（nucleur factorκB）信号通路中的关键成员,参与调控细胞的分化、发育、凋亡及免疫反应。本研究根据马氏珠母贝转录组数据库中注释为IKKε的unigene序列设计引物,应用cDNA末端快速扩增（RACE）技术克隆获得了马氏珠母贝（Pinctada martensii）IKKε基因cDNA的全长序列（PmIKKε）并对其序列特征进行分析;同时利用荧光定量PCR（Real-time PCR）技术检测了马氏珠母贝六个组织中PmIKKε基因mRNA的表达。结果表明：PmIKKε基因cDNA全长2 843 bp,其中5＇UTR为116 bp,3＇UTR为516 bp,含有27 bp polyA,开放阅读框为2 211 bp,编码737个氨基酸残基。预测其分子量为85.07 kD,等电点为6.17。多序列比对显示PmIKKε与其它物种IKKε有较高的同源性,与牡蛎的序列相似性有45%。软件分析结果显示PmIKKε的N端含有一个蛋白激酶功能结构域和一个MAPKK（mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase）的激活位点,C端含有一个亮氨酸拉链（leucin zipper,LZ）和一个螺旋-环-螺旋结构（helix-loop-helix,HLH）。荧光定量PCR分析表明PmIKKε在马氏珠母贝肝胰脏、性腺、血淋巴、鳃、外套膜、闭壳肌六个组织中均有表达,肝胰脏中表达量最高。本研究为进一步阐述PmIKKε在马氏珠母贝生长、发育及先天性免疫中的作用提供理论基础。     

华南鲤选育品种与地方品种的遗传多样性比较分析

华南鲤(Cyprinus carpio rubrofuscus)作为优质的地方鲤鱼品种禾花鲤在广东省粤北地区有着悠久的稻田养殖历史。为了解人工养殖和选育对华南鲤群体的遗传多样性和遗传结构的影响,为华南鲤的种质资源保存和育种利用等提供依据,本研究采用16对微卫星引物对华南鲤第5代选育群体(F5)和2个地方品种(乳源群体,乐昌群体)的遗传多样性进行了比较分析。结果显示,在3个群体中,16对微卫星引物均表现为多态性,共扩增得到119个等位基因,每个微卫星座位检测到的等位基因数为3~10个,平均每对引物7.44个。3个群体的平均期望杂合度(He)分别为0.636 0、0.698 9和0.775 1,Shannon多样性指数(I)分别为1.206 3、1.402 0和1.612 2,平均多态信息含量(PIC)分别为0.570 1、0.645 8和0.720 7,表明3个群体都具有较高的遗传多态性(PIC0.5000),但地方品种的遗传多样性水平高于选育品种。3个群体各个微卫星位点上的遗传分化指数(Fst)值介于0.044 0~0.246 8,平均值为0.102 8,表明群体间的遗传变异水平中等。群体间遗传分化指数(Fst)配对比较结果显示,选育群体F5与乐昌群体的遗传分化指数值最大(0.182),乳源群体和乐昌群体2个地方群体间则最小(0.058)。实验结果表明,人工选育加快了华南鲤选育品种与地方品种的遗传分化,也导致了选育品种遗传多样性下降,但选育品种遗传多样性水平依然较高,还具有进一步选育的潜力。本研究结果为下一步制定华南鲤新品种选育计划提供基础遗传数据。     

四个鲤鱼种群遗传多样性的AFLP分析

本文采用AFLP技术对黑龙江野鲤、黄河鲤、建鲤和荷包红鲤4个鲤鱼种群共96个个体进行了遗传多样性分析。结果显示,8对选择性扩增引物共扩增得到502个位点,其中多态性位点273个,多态性比率为54．38％。同时对4个种群的Shannon多样性指数,Nei’s基因多样性等参数进行了分析,结果表明,4个种群的Shannon多样性指数分别为0．2114±0．2705,0．1825±0．2694,0．1888±0．2587和0．1600±0．2426,Nei’s基因多样性指数分别为0．1398±0．1872,0．1225±0．1863,0．1235±0．1774和0．1036±0．1636;总基因多样性（H4）平均值为0．1721±0．0350;种群内基因多样性（Hs）平均值为0．1224±0．0190;基因分化系数（Gst）为0．2892,种群内的基因多样性占总群体的71．08％,种群间为28．92％,而基因流系数（Nm）为1．2291。另一方面,分子方差分析（AMOVA）结果表明,种群平均近交系数（Fst）为0-31191,变异31．19％来自种群间,68．81％来自种群内。4个种群中黑龙江野鲤的种内多态性比例最高,而荷包红鲤种群最低,并且4个鲤鱼种群当前的种质资源良好,具有一定的种群稳定性;建鲤已经开始分化,与亲本荷包红鲤亲缘关系逐渐分化,逐步形成自己稳定的遗传结构。本研究为探讨鲤鱼种群的遗传特性和遗传分化提供参考,也为其种质资源的保护及合理利用提供科学依据。     

牛亚科MHC DRB3基因exon2的序列变异分析

根据牛（Bos taurus）主要组织相容复合体（MHC）DRB3基因的已知序列设计引物，对中国牦牛（B．grunniens）的DRB3基因exon2进行扩增和克隆测序，并根据DRB3基因exon2序列对牛亚科的遗传多样性和分子系统发育进行了分析。结果在234的片段中发现有115个多态位点，多态位点百分率为49．15％。由标准遗传距离和净遗传距离构建的牛亚科系统发育树，可将牛亚科分为5个属，支持将牦牛作为牛亚科中一个独立的属的观点。多态性较丰富的DRB3基因exon2适于属间系统发育分析。     

小麦粘类CMS育性恢复基因的SSR分子标记与定位

利用SSR技术,对小麦粘类CMS（细胞质雄性不育）的1对近等基因系（NILs）和回交群体（BC₁'）进行分析,筛选与粘类CMS育性恢复基因相连锁的分子标记并进行恢复基因定位,以进一步探讨小麦粘类CMS育性恢复的遗传机理。结果表明：在18对位于1BS上的SSR引物中,有6对引物在近等基因系间扩增出了稳定的多态性差异;经分离群体验证表明,恢复基因与4对SSR引物的扩增位点Xwmc406、Xbarc8、Xwmc611和Xgwm273有连锁关系,遗传距离分别为2.7、2.8、21.4和26.2cM,这些标记可稳定应用于小麦粘类CMS育性恢复基因的辅助选择;研究还表明,小麦粘类雄性不育系的育性恢复主要受1BS上的1对主效恢复基因及一些微效基因共同控制;本研究标记出的恢复基因应为Rfv1;上述4个标记与该主效恢复基因Rfv1之间的位置顺序依次为Xwmc406、Rfv1、Xbarc8、Xwmc611、Xgwm273。     

Morphological characterization of snake melon (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Cucumis melo</Emphasis> var. <Emphasis Type="Italic">flexuosus</Emphasis>) populations from Palestine

Genetic diversity in 50 snake melon accessions collected from Palestine (West Bank) was assessed by examining variation in 17 phenotypic characters. These accessions belonged to four important landraces of Cucumis melo var. flexuosus: Green “Baladi” (GB), white Baladi (WB), green Sahouri (GS), and white Sahouri (WS). Principal component analysis (PCA) and a dendrogram were performed to determine relationships among populations and to obtain information on the usefulness of those characters for the definition of cultivars. PCA revealed that secondary fruit skin color, flesh color, primary fruit skin color, and secondary skin color pattern were the principal characters to discriminate melon accessions examined in the present study. According to the scatter diagram and dendrogram, landraces of C. melo var. flexuosus: GB, WB, GS, and WS formed different clusters. However, based on Euclidean genetic coefficient distances, GB and WB had the least degree of relatedness with GS and WS, indicating distantly related landraces (Baladi and Sahouri). On the other hand, the highest degree of relatedness was detected between WS on one hand, and both GS and WB on the other indicating closely related cultivars. Fruit traits variability among the different snake melon landraces was evaluated and discussed in this study. This evaluation of fruit trait variability can assist geneticists and breeders to identify populations with desirable characteristics for inclusion in cultivars breeding programs.     

Genetic diversity within and among landraces of pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum) under farmer management in West Africa

The influence of farmer management on pearl millet landrace diversity was determined by evaluating variation in individual farmers' populations from two villages in north-eastern Nigeria. The variability within and between landrace samples was estimated using variation at 163 amplified fragment length polymorphism marker (AFLP) loci. The data indicated that individual farmers' husbandry practices result in the isolation of their own group of ideotypes each in their own unique genetic backgrounds, thereby rendering landrace names inappropriate as indicators of a generic genetic identity. The implications of these findings for sampling strategies for genebanks and regional genetic evaluations are discussed.     

牡蛎壳作生物滞留填料对城市地表径流污染物去除效果研究

选择磷吸附性能最强的牡蛎壳作为填料,在实验室构建3个生物滞留模拟装置(A柱:养殖牡蛎壳;B柱:海滩牡蛎壳;C柱:养殖牡蛎壳存在淹没区),采用道路径流模拟配水作为进水,研究牡蛎壳作为填料对青岛市城市径流常见污染物氮磷及COD的处理效果,并对各污染物去除机理进行探讨。结果表明:3种牡蛎壳填料的生物滞留设施对总磷的去除效果最好,在进水磷浓度为0.57～1.83 mg/L条件下,无淹没区装置平均去除率为96.12%,存在淹没区的装置平均去除率为91.02%。养殖牡蛎壳与海滩牡蛎壳对磷的去除效果并无明显差异,淹没区不利于磷的去除。在前期进水过程中(前5次进水)3个模拟装置氨氮(NH_4~+)的出水浓度高于进水浓度,延长落干期后,装置的NH_4~+去除率均上升,B柱NH_4~+平均去除率(58.83%)相对于A柱(48.77%)及C柱(53.06%)更高,有无淹没区对NH_4~+去除并无明显影响。由于填料中有机物的渗沥,首次进水出现严重COD淋出,在随后的进水过程中,COD去除效果迅速上升并稳定,3个模拟柱去除率分别为50.34%,23.47%和47.75%。由于反硝化作用受阻,对硝氮(NO_3~-)的去除效果不佳。整体看来,养殖牡蛎壳可以应用于青岛市生物滞留设施的填料,为加强滞留设施NO_3~-的去除效果,还需要采用强化脱氮措施。     

滤食性双壳贝类对工厂化养殖废水中悬浮物的生物滤除研究

针对海水鱼类半滑舌鳎养殖池排出水中大量絮状悬浮物难以用常规机械过滤法去除的问题,选择适应能力强的滤食性双壳贝类长牡蛎（Crassostrea gigas）和紫贻贝（Mytilus galloprovincialis）,通过现场实验测定了它们对鱼类养殖排出水中悬浮物的生物滤除能力。结果表明,在海水流速为100 L·h^-1条件下,牡蛎[壳高（9.80±0.45）cm,湿重（117.0±10.0）g]和贻贝[壳高（6.54±0.26）cm,湿重（29.7±2.4）g]对养殖排出水悬浮物的生物沉积速率分别为40.28～45.30 mg·ind^-1·d^-1[平均（43.40±2.16）mg·ind^-1·d^-1]和6.96～8.87 mg·ind^-1·d^-1[平均（7.66±0.99）mg·ind^-1·d^-1];在实验海水流速为150 L·h-1条件下,牡蛎[壳高（9.33±0.99）cm,湿重（95.8±31.4）g]和贻贝[壳高（6.39±0.91）cm,湿重（28.0±15.4）g]对悬浮物的生物沉积速率分别为13.68～22.50 mg·ind^-1·d^-1[平均（17.35±4.59）mg·ind^-1·d^-1]和 5.37～5.67 mg·ind^-1·d^-1[平均（5.55±0.15）mg·ind^-1·d^-1]。表明长牡蛎和贻贝两种双壳贝类对半滑舌鳎养殖池出水中悬浮物具备很强的生物滤除潜力,且能吸收和利用悬浮物中的有机质实现养殖废物的生物资源化利用。     

黄河流域干旱时空变化特征及其气候要素敏感性分析

利用黄河流域102个气象站点1961-2013年气象数据,选用相对湿润度指数作为干旱指标,探讨年尺度和季节尺度干旱的时空分布特征,并尝试利用偏导数方法计算分析相对湿润度指数的气候要素敏感性及其与气候要素间的相关关系。结果表明：黄河流域上游旱情比中游和下游地区偏重,春夏秋冬各季分别处于中旱、轻旱、中旱和特旱状态,全年尺度处于特旱程度,季节和全年尺度的相对湿润度指数均呈现从西北到东南递增的变化趋势,春季、秋季和全年尺度特旱区域主要分布在陕西、山西、宁夏北部以及内蒙古地区,而气象干旱减缓的站点主要分布在黄河流域上游地区,干旱增强的站点主要分布在黄河流域东南部。相对湿润度指数对太阳辐射和相对湿度呈正向敏感,对温度和风速呈负向敏感。上游和中游地区夏季相对湿润度指数最敏感要素分别为太阳辐射和平均温度,全流域春季、秋季、冬季和全年尺度对相对湿度最敏感。全流域春季和夏季与相对湿润度指数相关性最强的要素均为相对湿度,上游和下游地区秋季的主控要素为太阳辐射,上游、中游和下游地区冬季则分别与温度、风速和风速相关性最强。全年尺度上,上游、中游和下游地区相对湿润度指数变化的主控要素则为太阳辐射、相对湿度和相对湿度。     

Comparison of oyster shell and calcium hydroxide as liming materials for immobilizing cadmium in upland soil

Cadmium is both readily available and highly toxic to plants and animals. Our objectives were to evaluate the effect of oyster shell as a liming material on reducing plant cadmium (Cd) uptake and to compare oyster shell and Ca(OH)₂, a common liming material in Korea. Ground oyster shell and Ca(OH)₂ were applied at 0, 2, 4, and 8 Mg Ca per hectare to an upland soil contaminated manually with CdSO₄ (total Cd 8.96 mg kg^?1). Radish (Raphanus sativa L.) was sown on the contaminated soil. Oyster shell was less effective at increasing soil pH and net negative charge than Ca(OH)₂, but more effective at suppressing radish Cd uptake in both roots and shoots. The portion of Cd that is strongly bound to soil (fraction 5) increased more with oyster shell than with Ca(OH)₂. Radish plant Cd concentration was positively correlated with 0.1 N HCl-extractable Cd and negatively correlated with the residual Cd fraction (F5), indicating that an increase in the strongly bound Cd fraction played an important role in reducing radish Cd uptake in soil to which oyster shell was applied. The greater potential of oyster shell to decrease Cd extractability in soil and plant Cd uptake compared to Ca(OH)₂ might be attributed to the layered morphology of oyster shells. Based on these results, oyster shell could be a very good alternative liming material to reduce Cd phytoavailability in Cd-contaminated soil.     

不同覆盖方式对新复垦区土壤水热及春玉米产量的影响

随着城市化进程的加速发展,我国净耕地面积持续减少,合理开发利用潜在土地资源,对于保障我国粮食安全具有重要意义。为了探讨不同覆盖耕作方式对新复垦区土壤水热及作物生长的影响,通过2018年和2019年连续两年田间试验,研究了传统耕作(CK)、地膜覆盖(FM)、秸秆深埋(BS)和秸秆深埋+地膜覆盖(F+S) 4种处理对土壤水分、温度和春玉米生长及产量的影响。结果表明:2018年,F+S、BS、FM处理玉米生育期内0～20cm及20～40 cm土层平均土壤含水率分别较CK增加24.4%、16.5%、12.6%及9.1%、3.2%、3.7%。2018年玉米苗期, 0～100 cm土壤蓄水量表现为FMF+SCKBS,明显表现为有覆膜处理(F+S和FM)的土壤蓄水量高于不覆膜处理(BS和CK)。2019年玉米苗期,土壤蓄水量则表现为F+SBSFMCK。与CK相比,春玉米全生育期不同覆盖耕作处理条件下各土层(5～25 cm)土壤温度均有所提高,具体表现为F+SFMBSCK,各处理土壤温度随土层深度表现为降低趋势。以表层5 cm土壤温度增幅最大,覆盖耕作处理的增温效应在全生育期表现为前期明显而后期弱化。各处理株高变化趋势一致,在播种后70d左右达到峰值,随后出现小幅度下降并最终保持稳定。试验期,株高和叶面积均表现为地表有覆膜的处理高于未覆膜处理(P0.05)。2018年, F+S、BS和FM处理玉米产量均显著高于CK(P0.05),2018年和2019年,各处理产量分别较CK增加17.0%、13.5%、6.6%和30.5%、23.9%、3.8%。产量构成逐步回归分析结果表明,穗长对产量的影响最大,产量与穗行数和百粒重呈正相关关系。秸秆深埋+地膜覆盖处理(F+S)可以综合发挥二者优势,有效调节土壤水热状况,改善土壤环境,促进作物生长发育,从而获得较高的产量,可作为新复垦区春玉米适宜的种植管理方式。     

Comparative Effects of 1BL/1RS Translocation in Relation to Protein Composition and Milling and Baking Quality of Soft Red Winter Wheat

Forty grain samples, derived from six soft red winter wheat lines with 1BL/1RS and four genotypes without the translocation, grown in four diverse environments, were used to assess test weight, flour yield, protein content of grain and flour, rheological properties, and end-use characteristics in cakes and cookies. Wheat lines with 1BL/1RS had similar or higher mean test weights than lines without the translocation. Mean flour yields were similar for the two groups. Test weight was not predictive of flour yield. Mean values for grain moisture, grain protein, and rheological properties, as measured by farinograph for mixing time stability and mixing tolerance index, were similar for wheat lines with and without 1BL/1RS. In several cases, flour from lines with 1BL/1RS produced dough with greater mixing tolerance and cakes with higher volume and softer texture than did check lines without the translocation. However, the translocation in these soft red winter wheat lines resulted in higher farinograph water absorption by the flour and decreased cookie spread. The results of this study were novel in that end-use, specifically baking quality of soft wheat lines with 1BL/1RS, varied dramatically depending on whether cookies or cakes were evaluated. Therefore, use of single-product baking tests may lead to false conclusions regarding end-use quality of 1BL/1RS soft wheat. Direct comparison between a pair of sister lines with and without 1BL/1RS indicated that the translocation had adverse effects on quality as exemplified by lower flour yield, greater farinograph water absorption, and reduced cookie diameter. However, the 1BL/1RS line had greater mixing tolerance and similar cake volume and texture scores in comparison to its sister line. In summary, 1BL/1RS lines were identified in which quality characteristics exceeded those of control cultivars and commercial flours. Genetic background and environmental factors probably affected milling and baking quality to a greater extent than the translocation. Many of the negative quality attributes previously associated with 1BL/1RS are probably due to genetic background effects and, therefore, could be greatly diminished with improvement of the genetic background in which the translocation resides.     

Automated Single‐Kernel Sorting to Select for Quality Traits in Wheat Breeding Lines

An automated single kernel near‐infrared system was used to select kernels to enhance the end‐use quality of hard red wheat breeder samples. Twenty breeding populations and advanced lines were sorted for hardness index, protein content, and kernel color. To determine whether the phenotypic sorting was based upon genetic or environmental differences, the progeny of the unsorted control and sorted samples were planted at two locations two years later to determine whether differences in the sorted samples were transmitted to the progeny (e.g., based on genetic differences). The average hardness index of the harvested wheat samples for segregating populations improved significantly by seven hardness units. For the advanced lines, hardness index was not affected by sorting, indicating little genetic variation within these lines. When sorting by protein content, a significant increase from 12.1 to 12.6% was observed at one location. Purity of the red samples was improved from ≈78% (unsorted control) to ≈92% (sorted samples), while the purity of the white samples improved from 22% (control) to ≈62% (sorted samples). Similar positive results were found for sorting red and blue kernel samples. Sorting for kernel hardness, color, and protein content is effective and based upon genetic variation.