Impact of wheat-Leymus racemosus added chromosomes on wheat adaptation and tolerance to heat stress

Adaptation of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) to high temperatures could be improved by introducing alien genes from wild relatives. We evaluated the responses of wheat-Leymus racemosus chromosome introgression lines to high temperature to determine their potentiality for developing improved wheat cultivars. Introgression lines and their parent Chinese Spring were evaluated in a growth chamber at the seedling stage and in the field at the reproductive stage in two heat-stressed environments in Sudan. Optimum and late planting were used to ensure exposure of the plants to heat stress at the reproductive stage. The results revealed the impact of several Leymus chromosomes in improving wheat adaptation and tolerance to heat. Three lines possessed enhanced adaptation, whereas two showed high heat tolerance. Two addition lines showed a large number of kernels per spike, while one possessed high yield potential. Grain yield was correlated negatively with the heat susceptibility index, days to heading and maturity and positively with kernel number per spike and triphenyl tetrazolium chloride assay under late planting. The findings suggest that these genetic stocks could be used as a bridge to introduce the valuable Leymus traits into a superior wheat genetic background, thus helping maximize wheat yield in heat-stressed environments.     

Genome wide association mapping to identify aluminium tolerance loci in bread wheat

Aluminium (Al) toxicity in acid soils continues to be a major concern for crop production, especially for wheat which is a moderately tolerant cereal crop species. So far, Al tolerance was known to be controlled by few genetic loci detected clearly by classical mapping studies. Here, we report the outcome of a genome wide association mapping approach in bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) using 525 Diversity Array Technology markers genotyped in a core collection of 96 winter wheat accessions. Marker-trait associations (MTAs) were detected using both general linear model (GLM) and mixed linear model (MLM). Five significant MTAs were identified as shared by models on chromosomes 1A, 1D, 3B and 6A. Highly significant MTAs were identified by MLM on chromosomes 1D and 3B which could be new candidate loci for future studies. Some of our results are in line with prior reports, but some appear to be novel. Potential candidate genes have been searched in respective chromosomal bins for highly significant MTAs detected by MLM. The loci identified in our study have the potential to improve Al tolerance in wheat and hence need to be verified and utilized for breeding tolerant cultivars worldwide.     

基于SNP分子标记的泰山/泰科麦系列小麦遗传解析

对不同年份育成的21个小麦品种（系）进行全基因组扫描,通过分析遗传距离和染色体区段/位点,明确其亲缘关系远近和遗传差异。分析可知,获得的2029个SNP基因位点在B基因组拥有较高的遗传多样性,其次是A和D基因组;在7个同源群中,第3和第6同源群呈现出较高的遗传多样性,而第1和第4同源群的遗传多样性较低;21条染色体中,3A、1B、6B染色体的遗传多样性较高,而1A、6A的遗传多样性偏低。对21份供试材料依据审定（育成）年份分析其群体的平均遗传距离,不同年份品种间的平均遗传距离先增大后减小,遗传多样性逐渐降低;21份供试材料间的遗传相似系数在0.69~0.99之间,大致可聚为4个类群,同一年份的品种一般聚在一起,与其系谱关系吻合。构建并分析供试材料的基因型图谱发现,00s、10s和现在育成的小麦品种（系）共有SNP和共有染色体区段分别主要在A、D和B基因组,对应已发表性状同不同年份育种目标吻合。同时发现21份供试材料均含有25个共同SNP位点,分布在1A、5A、6A、7A、2B、3B、6B、1D、2D、3D和7D染色体上,且每条染色体上分布的SNP位点数目均不相同,通过对应已发表性状进一步证实在品种（系）组配与选育过程中注重产量、株高、分蘖数、抽穗期、灌浆速率和抗病等性状的选择。以上研究结果可为今后小麦新品种组配和选育提供参考依据。     

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.     

Identification of wheat chromosomes involved with different types of resistance against greenbug (Schizaphis graminum, Rond.) and the Russian wheat aphid (Diuraphis noxia, Mordvilko)

Two sets of intervarietal chromosome substitution lines in the recipient,susceptible cultivar ‘Chinese Spring’ were screened to identify the wheat chromosomes involved with antixenosis, antibiosis and tolerance resistance to greenbug and Russian wheat aphid. The amphiploid ‘Synthetic’ and the cultivar ‘Hope’ were the donor parents. Antixenosis, antibiosis and tolerance were evaluated with conventional tests in controlled environmental conditions using a clone of greenbug biotype C and a clone of RWA collected on wheat. Antixenosis against greenbug was accounted for by several chromosomes in both sets of substitution lines with chromosome 2B contributing the highest level of this type of resistance. The highest levels of antixenosis against RWA were associated with the group of chromosomes 7 of the substitutions CS/Syn set and the chromosome substitutions 2B, 6A and 7D of the CS/Hope set. Antibiosis against both aphids species was accounted for by several different chromosomes. The highest levels of antibiosis for most of RWA resistance traits were recorded from the 1B substitution line of the CS/Hope set. More than one gene appears to determine antibiosis. Tolerance to both greenbug and the RWA was significantly associated with chromosomes 1A,1D, and 6D in the CS/Syn set of substitutions. These lines showed enhanced plant growth under aphid infestation. The highest levels of antixenosis, antibiosis and tolerance against the two aphid species occurred mostly in different substitution lines. Consequently, the different types of resistance for both pests seem to be partially independent. Since different genes seem to be involved in at least several traits of the resistance categories against the two aphid species, such genes could be combined in new cultivars of wheat to broaden their genetic base of resistance against the greenbug and the RWA. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Recent progress in drought and salt tolerance studies in Brassica crops

Water deficit imposed by either drought or salinity brings about severe growth retardation and yield loss of crops. Since Brassica crops are important contributors to total oilseed production, it is urgently needed to develop tolerant cultivars to ensure yields under such adverse conditions. There are various physiochemical mechanisms for dealing with drought and salinity in plants at different developmental stages. Accordingly, different indicators of tolerance to drought or salinity at the germination, seedling, flowering and mature stages have been developed and used for germplasm screening and selection in breeding practices. Classical genetic and modern genomic approaches coupled with precise phenotyping have boosted the unravelling of genes and metabolic pathways conferring drought or salt tolerance in crops. QTL mapping of drought and salt tolerance has provided several dozen target QTLs in Brassica and the closely related Arabidopsis. Many drought- or salt-tolerant genes have also been isolated, some of which have been confirmed to have great potential for genetic improvement of plant tolerance. It has been suggested that molecular breeding approaches, such as marker-assisted selection and gene transformation, that will enhance oil product security under a changing climate be integrated in the development of drought- and salt-tolerant Brassica crops.     

Validation of quantitative trait loci for aluminum tolerance in Chinese wheat landrace FSW

Aluminum (Al) toxicity is one of the major constraints for wheat production in acidic soils worldwide and use of Al-tolerant cultivars is one of the most effective approaches to reduce Al damage in the acidic soils. A Chinese landrace, FSW, shows a high level of tolerance to Al toxicity and a mapping population of recombinant inbred lines (RILs) was developed from a cross between FSW and Al-sensitive US spring wheat cultivar Wheaton to validate the quantitative trait loci (QTL) previously identified in FSW. The mapping population was evaluated for net root growth (NRG) during Al stress in a nutrient solution culture and hematoxylin staining score (HSS) of root tips after Al stress. After 132 simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers from three chromosomes that were previously reported to have the QTLs were analyzed in the population, two QTLs for Al tolerance from FSW were confirmed. The major QTL on chromosome 4DL co-segregated with the Al-activated malate transporter gene (ALMT1), however, sequence analysis of the promoter region (Ups4) of ALMT1 gene indicated that FSW contained a marker allele that is different from the one that was reported to condition Al tolerance in the Brazilian source. Another QTL on chromosome 3BL showed a minor effect on Al tolerance in the population. The two QTLs accounted for about 74.9 % of the phenotypic variation for HSS and 72.1 % for NRG and demonstrated an epistatic effect for both HSS and NRG. SSR markers closely linked to the QTLs have potential to be used for marker-assisted selection (MAS) to improve Al tolerance in wheat breeding programs.     

普通小麦背景中长穗偃麦草[Lophopyrum elongatum (Host) A. Löve]E染色体组的RGAP特异标记

利用已知植物抗病基因编码氨基酸保守区域NBS-LRR（核苷酸结合位点-富亮氨酸区域）设计了42个简并引物组合，运用抗病基因类似物多态性（resistance gene analog polymorphism，RGAP）分子标记技术，对中国春、中国春-长穗偃麦草双二倍体及其附加系和代换系基因组DNA进行PCR扩增。结果表明，共有38对引物组合获得扩增产物，其中35对在普通小麦中国春、中国春-长穗偃麦草双二倍体中能扩增出多态性，平均每个引物组合扩增出38.5个片段。在普通小麦背景下，共获得275条长穗偃麦草E基因组多态性谱带，占扩增总谱带数的17.44%，揭示出在普通小麦背景下E基因组和普通小麦A、B、D基因组间的高丰度遗传变异。另外，利用RGAP分子标记技术，构建了一套完整的长穗偃麦草1E~7E染色体的特异RGAP标记。为小麦背景中长穗偃麦草外源遗传物质的快速检测提供了新途径。     

Interspecific and intergeneric hybridization and chromosomal engineering of Brassicaceae crops

In Brassicaceae crop breeding programs, wild relatives have been evaluated as genetic resources to develop new cultivars with biotic and abiotic stress resistance. This has become necessary because of the diversification of ecotypes of diseases and pests, changing food preferences, advances in production technology, the use of new approaches such as in vitro breeding programs, and the need for economical production of F₁ seed. To produce potential new cultivars, interspecific and intergeneric hybridizations have been performed between cultivated species and between cultivated species and their wild relatives. Furthermore, interspecific and intergeneric hybrids have been successfully produced using embryo rescue techniques. In this paper, we review the interspecific and intergeneric incompatibilities between Brassicaceae crops and their wild relatives, and the production, characterization, and improvement of synthetic amphidiploid lines, alien gene introgression lines, alloplasmic lines, monosomic alien chromosome addition lines, and monosomic alien chromosome substitution lines. The goal is to provide useful materials to support practical breeding strategies and to study the genetic effects of individual chromosomes on plant traits, the number of genes that control a trait, their linkage relationships, and genetic improvement in Brassicaceae crops.     

Applicability of Aegilops tauschii drought tolerance traits to breeding of hexaploid wheat

Few genes are available to develop drought-tolerant bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivars. One way to enhance bread wheat’s genetic diversity would be to take advantage of the diversity of wild species by creating synthetic hexaploid wheat (SW) with the genomic constitution of bread wheat. In this study, we compared the expression of traits encoded at different ploidy levels and evaluated the applicability of Aegilops tauschii drought-related traits using 33 Ae. tauschii accessions along with their corresponding SW lines under well-watered and drought conditions. We found wide variation in Ae. tauschii, and even wider variation in the SW lines. Some SW lines were more drought-tolerant than the standard cultivar Cham 6. Aegilops tauschii from some regions gave better performing SW lines. The traits of Ae. tauschii were not significantly correlated with their corresponding SW lines, indicating that the traits expressed in wild diploid relatives of wheat may not predict the traits that will be expressed in SW lines derived from them. We suggest that, regardless of the adaptability and performance of the Ae. tauschii under drought, production of SW could probably result in genotypes with enhanced trait expression due to gene interactions, and that the traits of the synthetic should be evaluated in hexaploid level.     

390份小麦-黑麦种质材料主要农艺性状分析及优异材料的GISH与FISH鉴定

将小麦近缘属植物黑麦中的优良基因导入小麦可以拓宽小麦的遗传基础,丰富小麦的遗传变异。本研究调查并分析了390份小麦-黑麦种质材料。在这390份种质材料中,6个主要农艺性状值均有较大的极差,说明其遗传多样性丰富。与10份小麦主栽品种相比,90%以上的材料具有穗长和分蘖数的显著优势,60%以上的材料具有小穗数优势,约30%的材料穗粒数和千粒重显著高于主栽品种。利用基因组原位杂交(genomic in situ hybridization,GISH)和多色荧光原位杂交(multicolor fluorescent in situ hybridization,mc-FISH)技术,对8份农艺性状优良的代表性材料进行染色体组成分析,发现3份为六倍体小黑麦(AABBRR),2份为八倍体小黑麦(AABBDDRR),1份为1RS·1BL易位系,其余2份不具有可见的黑麦染色体或染色体片段。值得指出的是,3份六倍体小黑麦与2份八倍体小黑麦所含的黑麦染色体不完全相同。八倍体小黑麦中有1对来源于黑麦的小染色体,而六倍体小黑麦中没有类似小染色体;并且,不同材料中黑麦4R染色体端部的GISH杂交带有明显差异。本研究结果为这些小麦-黑麦种质材料进一步应用于小麦育种提供了依据。     

Variation in heading date conceals quantitative trait loci for other traits of importance in breeding selection of rice

To identify quantitative trait loci (QTLs) associated with the primary target traits for selection in practical rice breeding programs, backcross inbred lines (BILs) derived from crosses between temperate japonica rice cultivars Nipponbare and Koshihikari were evaluated for 50 agronomic traits at six experimental fields located throughout Japan. Thirty-three of the 50 traits were significantly correlated with heading date. Using a linkage map including 647 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), a total of 122 QTLs for 38 traits were mapped on all rice chromosomes except chromosomes 5 and 9. Fifty-eight of the 122 QTLs were detected near the heading date QTLs Hd16 and Hd17 and the remaining 64 QTLs were found in other chromosome regions. QTL analysis of 51 BILs having homozygous for the Koshihikari chromosome segments around Hd16 and Hd17 allowed us to detect 40 QTLs associated with 27 traits; 23 of these QTLs had not been detected in the original analysis. Among the 97 QTLs for the 30 traits measured in multiple environments, the genotype-by-environment interaction was significant for 44 QTLs and not significant for 53 QTLs. These results led us to propose a new selection strategy to improve agronomic performance in temperate japonica rice cultivars.     

Distribution of photoperiod-insensitive alleles Ppd-B1a and Ppd-D1a and their effect on heading time in Japanese wheat cultivars

The genotypes of photoperiod response genes Ppd-B1 and Ppd-D1 in Japanese wheat cultivars were determined by a PCR-based method, and heading times were compared among genotypes. Most of the Japanese wheat cultivars, except those from the Hokkaido region, carried the photoperiod-insensitive allele Ppd-D1a, and heading was accelerated 10.3 days compared with the Ppd-D1b genotype. Early cultivars with Ppd-D1a may have been selected to avoid damage from preharvest rain. In the Hokkaido region, Ppd-D1a frequency was lower and heading date was late regardless of Ppd-D1 genotype, suggesting another genetic mechanism for late heading in Hokkaido cultivars. In this study, only 11 cultivars proved to carry Ppd-B1a, and all of them carried another photoperiod-insensitive allele, Ppd-D1a. The Ppd-B1a/Ppd-D1a genotype headed 6.7 days earlier than the Ppd-B1b/Ppd-D1a genotype, indicating a significant effect of Ppd-B1a in the genetic background with Ppd-D1a. Early-maturity breeding in Japan is believed to be accelerated by the introduction of the Ppd-B1a allele into medium-heading cultivars carrying Ppd-D1a. Pedigree analysis showed that Ppd-B1a in three extra-early commercial cultivars was inherited from ‘Shiroboro 21’ by early-heading Chugoku lines bred at the Chugoku Agriculture Experimental Station.     

基于EST-PCR的簇毛麦染色体特异分子标记筛选及应用

为定位、转移和利用簇毛麦有益基因, 通过花粉辐射, 获得一批包括小麦-簇毛麦易位染色体的异染色体系。为了鉴定这批材料中的簇毛麦染色体身份, 根据水稻、小麦的EST序列合成了240对STS引物, 其中34对引物在普通小麦中国春与簇毛麦间存在多态性;进一步对亲本及簇毛麦二体异附加系进行PCR扩增分析, 标记CINAU32_-300可追踪簇毛麦1V染色体, 标记CINAU33_-280、CINAU34_-510、CINAU35_-1100、CINAU36_-380和CINAU37_-400可追踪簇毛麦2V染色体, 标记CINAU38_-250可追踪簇毛麦3V染色体, 标记CINAU39_-950和CINAU40_-800可追踪簇毛麦4V染色体, 标记CINAU41_-745和CINAU42_-1050可追踪簇毛麦5V染色体, 标记CINAU44_-765和CINAU45_-495可追踪簇毛麦7V染色体。加上本室已开发的2个6V染色体特异标记, 用这些簇毛麦特异分子标记鉴定辐射诱导材料的部分回交后代, 选育出小麦背景中只包含单条簇毛麦染色体的整套1V至7V染色体系, 同时有18条易位染色体的簇毛麦身份得到确定, 表明这些标记可以用来快速检测普通小麦背景中的簇毛麦染色体或染色体片段。     

Puroindoline allelic diversity in Indian wheat germplasm and identification of new allelic variants

Grain hardness is an important quality trait that influences product development in wheat. This trait is governed by variation in puroindoline proteins (PINA and PINB). Our study evaluated 551 Indian wheat germplasm lines for diversity in Pina and Pinb genes. Eighty-two lines were shortlisted for full length sequencing and grain hardness studies. Sequencing studies identified six unknown alleles: two for the Pina gene and four for the Pinb gene. Five of them were novel with non-synonymous changes in the corresponding amino acid sequences. Identified mutations in the deduced mature proteins and their pre- and pro-peptides influenced the hardness characteristics of the grain. We classified these 82 varieties into different hardness categories with reference to international and Indian systems of classification. The majority of Indian wheat varieties were categorized as hard. This study revealed that unexplored Indian wheat germplasm can be a good source of genetic variability for both Pina and Pinb genes, helping in marker-assisted breeding and in obtaining wheat with different textural properties.     

A set of new 1RS translocations from wheat cv. Amigo in a uniform genetic background

Wheat-rye translocation 1RS.1AL from cv. Amigo is still popular in wheat breeding and commercial cultivars. It introduces several disease and pest resistance genes from rye into wheat, and appears to enhance root system development. To create a set of uniform stocks for precise tests, the rye arm 1RS was separated from the wheat arm in the translocation by misdivision of centromeres in univalents, fused into a complete chromosome 1R, and then re-translocated to all group-1 wheat chromosomes 1A, 1B and 1D, creating a set of three translocation and three substitution lines in a uniform background of cv. Pavon 76. Misdivision frequencies of the chromosomes mirrored those observed earlier in that shorter chromosomes broke less frequently than the long ones, and chromosomes from previous misdivision-fusion events misdivided more frequently than normal intact chromosomes. This set of chromosome lines with 1RS from cv. Amigo increases to three the number of such translocations stocks in wheat.     

Genetic variation in drought resilience-related traits among wheat multiple synthetic derivative lines: insights for climate resilience breeding

Twenty-four wheat lines, developed by Aegilops tauschii Coss. introgressions and previously selected for heat or salinity stress tolerance, were evaluated under a drought-rewatering-drought cycle for two years. The objective was to select breeding lines that are resilient to more than one abiotic stress. The experiment was designed in alpha lattice with three replications. Drought was imposed by withholding water during flowering. The results revealed considerable genetic variability in physio-agronomic traits, reflecting the variation in the introgressed segments. High heritability estimates (above 47%) were recorded for most traits, including days to 50% heading, plant height, and thousand-grain weight, indicating the genetic control of these traits which may be useful for cultivar development. The trait-trait correlations within and between water regimes highlighted a strong association among the genetic factors controlling these traits. Some lines exhibited superior performance in terms of stress tolerance index and mean productivity compared with their backcross parent and elite cultivars commonly grown in hot and dry areas. Graphical genotyping revealed unique introgressed segments on chromosomes 4B, 6B, 2D, and 3D in some drought-resilient lines which may be linked to drought resilience. Therefore, we recommend these lines for further breeding to develop climate-resilient wheat varieties.     

Chromosomal location of aluminium tolerance genes in rye

Rye is known for its high tolerance of aluminium in the soils in comparison with wheat and other cereals. To localize the major gene/ genes controlling aluminium tolerance on the rye chromosomes, four series of wheat‐rye addition lines, two sets of triticale D(R) substitution lines and several wheat/rye translocation lines were tested in experiments on seedlings grown in nutrient solutions with various concentrations of aluminium. The results indicate that the major locus responsible for Al tolerance in rye is located on the short arm of chromosome 3R. The importance of these results for controlled introgressions into cereals is discussed.     

Inheritance of salt tolerance in rice

Summary The genetic behavior of salt tolerance was studied in artificially salinized conditions at the International Rice Research Institute.Divergent selection, carried out at a salinity level where the ECe was 15.2 mmhos/cm at 25 C in F₃ lines from two crosses confirmed the effects of salt tolerance on F₄ progeny with realized heritability values of 0.39 and 0.62, respectively.In a cross between two tolerant cultivars there was clear over-dominance for tolerance, despite the high environmental fluctuation which resulted in a low genetic response as indicated by a low but significant repeatability of 0.20–0.25, and many progeny lines more tolerant than the parents were recovered. The superior tolerance of these progenies compared to the parents was confirmed subsequently at 3 different salt levels. In the same experiment a cross between tolerant and susceptible cultivars produced some progeny of comparable tolerance with tolerant sources.In a 6×6 diallel cross experiment with two tolerant, moderate, and susceptible varieties each, both general and specific combining ability were significant.The findings indicate the possibility of breeding rices more tolerant than existing tolerant cultivars through cumulative crosses of tolerant cultivars. Further improvement can be attained by crossing highly tolerant lines with donors of good agronomic traits and pest and disease resistance.