RL4137 contributes preharvest sprouting resistance to Canadian wheats

Preharvest sprouting (PHS) in spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) causes significant economic losses due to a reduction in grain functionality, grain yield and viability of seed for planting. Genetic resistance to PHS reduces these losses. Development of PHS resistant cultivars is complicated by the effects of genotype, environment, kernel diseases and spike morphological factors. RL4137 has consistently exhibited high levels of resistance to PHS over years and environments. The mean PHS scores of Canada Western Red Spring (CWRS) wheat cultivars with RL4137 in their ancestry are lower than that of CWRS wheat cultivars without. RL4137 has two mechanisms for PHS resistance, one associated with kernel color and the other not associated with kernel color. RL4137 was the source of PHS resistance in white wheats HY361, AC Vista, Snowbird, Kanata, and Snowstar, all of which had significantly lower PHS scores than the white-seeded check, Genesis. Known DNA markers relating to PHS were used to compare haplotypes with and without RL4137 in the ancestry. Coefficients of parentage also demonstrated the relationship. Because cultivars that have RL4137 in their ancestry were grown on about 77% of the spring wheat area for 2003–2007, RL4137 continues to contribute to protecting market grade from preharvest sprouting.