1
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Zhang Y, Shen C, Shi J, Shi J, Zhang D. Boosting Triticeae crop grain yield by manipulating molecular modules to regulate inflorescence architecture: insights and knowledge from other cereal crops. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2024; 75:17-35. [PMID: 37935244 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erad386] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2023] [Accepted: 11/02/2023] [Indexed: 11/09/2023]
Abstract
One of the challenges for global food security is to reliably and sustainably improve the grain yield of cereal crops. One solution is to modify the architecture of the grain-bearing inflorescence to optimize for grain number and size. Cereal inflorescences are complex structures, with determinacy, branching patterns, and spikelet/floret growth patterns that vary by species. Recent decades have witnessed rapid advancements in our understanding of the genetic regulation of inflorescence architecture in rice, maize, wheat, and barley. Here, we summarize current knowledge on key genetic factors underlying the different inflorescence morphologies of these crops and model plants (Arabidopsis and tomato), focusing particularly on the regulation of inflorescence meristem determinacy and spikelet meristem identity and determinacy. We also discuss strategies to identify and utilize these superior alleles to optimize inflorescence architecture and, ultimately, improve crop grain yield.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yueya Zhang
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Metabolic and Developmental Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Hybrid Rice, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Chaoqun Shen
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Metabolic and Developmental Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Hybrid Rice, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Jin Shi
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Metabolic and Developmental Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Hybrid Rice, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Jianxin Shi
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Metabolic and Developmental Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Hybrid Rice, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai 200240, China
- Yazhou Bay Institute of Deepsea Sci-Tech, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Sanya 572025, China
| | - Dabing Zhang
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Metabolic and Developmental Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Hybrid Rice, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai 200240, China
- Yazhou Bay Institute of Deepsea Sci-Tech, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Sanya 572025, China
- School of Agriculture, Food, and Wine, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia 5064, Australia
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2
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Abbai R, Golan G, Longin CFH, Schnurbusch T. Grain yield trade-offs in spike-branching wheat can be mitigated by elite alleles affecting sink capacity and post-anthesis source activity. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2024; 75:88-102. [PMID: 37739800 PMCID: PMC10735541 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erad373] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2023] [Accepted: 09/19/2023] [Indexed: 09/24/2023]
Abstract
Introducing variations in inflorescence architecture, such as the 'Miracle-Wheat' (Triticum turgidum convar. compositum (L.f.) Filat.) with a branching spike, has relevance for enhancing wheat grain yield. However, in the spike-branching genotypes, the increase in spikelet number is generally not translated into grain yield advantage because of reduced grains per spikelet and grain weight. Here, we investigated if such trade-offs might be a function of source-sink strength by using 385 recombinant inbred lines developed by intercrossing the spike-branching landrace TRI 984 and CIRNO C2008, an elite durum (T. durum L.) cultivar; they were genotyped using the 25K array. Various plant and spike architectural traits, including flag leaf, peduncle, and spike senescence rate, were phenotyped under field conditions for 2 consecutive years. On chromosome 5AL, we found a new modifier QTL for spike branching, branched headt3 (bht-A3), which was epistatic to the previously known bht-A1 locus. Besides, bht-A3 was associated with more grains per spikelet and a delay in flag leaf senescence rate. Importantly, favourable alleles, viz. bht-A3 and grain protein content (gpc-B1) that delayed senescence, are required to improve grain number and grain weight in the spike-branching genotypes. In summary, achieving a balanced source-sink relationship might minimize grain yield trade-offs in Miracle-Wheat.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ragavendran Abbai
- Research Group Plant Architecture, Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK), OT Gatersleben, 06466 Seeland, Germany
| | - Guy Golan
- Research Group Plant Architecture, Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK), OT Gatersleben, 06466 Seeland, Germany
| | - C Friedrich H Longin
- State Plant Breeding Institute, University of Hohenheim, Fruwirthstr. 21, 70599 Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Thorsten Schnurbusch
- Research Group Plant Architecture, Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK), OT Gatersleben, 06466 Seeland, Germany
- Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Faculty of Natural Sciences III, Institute of Agricultural and Nutritional Sciences, 06120 Halle, Germany
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3
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Luo X, Yang Y, Lin X, Xiao J. Deciphering spike architecture formation towards yield improvement in wheat. J Genet Genomics 2023; 50:835-845. [PMID: 36907353 DOI: 10.1016/j.jgg.2023.02.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2022] [Revised: 02/28/2023] [Accepted: 02/28/2023] [Indexed: 03/12/2023]
Abstract
Wheat is the most widely grown crop globally, providing 20% of the daily consumed calories and protein content around the world. With the growing global population and frequent occurrence of extreme weather caused by climate change, ensuring adequate wheat production is essential for food security. The architecture of the inflorescence plays a crucial role in determining the grain number and size, which is a key trait for improving yield. Recent advances in wheat genomics and gene cloning techniques have improved our understanding of wheat spike development and its applications in breeding practices. Here, we summarize the genetic regulation network governing wheat spike formation, the strategies used for identifying and studying the key factors affecting spike architecture, and the progress made in breeding applications. Additionally, we highlight future directions that will aid in the regulatory mechanistic study of wheat spike determination and targeted breeding for grain yield improvement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xumei Luo
- Key Laboratory of Plant Cell and Chromosome Engineering, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yiman Yang
- Key Laboratory of Plant Cell and Chromosome Engineering, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210095, China
| | - Xuelei Lin
- Key Laboratory of Plant Cell and Chromosome Engineering, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China.
| | - Jun Xiao
- Key Laboratory of Plant Cell and Chromosome Engineering, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; CAS-JIC Centre of Excellence for Plant and Microbial Science (CEPAMS), Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China.
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4
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Glenn P, Woods DP, Zhang J, Gabay G, Odle N, Dubcovsky J. Wheat bZIPC1 interacts with FT2 and contributes to the regulation of spikelet number per spike. TAG. THEORETICAL AND APPLIED GENETICS. THEORETISCHE UND ANGEWANDTE GENETIK 2023; 136:237. [PMID: 37906302 PMCID: PMC10618405 DOI: 10.1007/s00122-023-04484-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 11/02/2023]
Abstract
KEY MESSAGE The wheat transcription factor bZIPC1 interacts with FT2 and affects spikelet and grain number per spike. We identified a natural allele with positive effects on these two economically important traits. Loss-of-function mutations and natural variation in the gene FLOWERING LOCUS T2 (FT2) in wheat have previously been shown to affect spikelet number per spike (SNS). However, while other FT-like wheat proteins interact with bZIP-containing transcription factors from the A-group, FT2 does not interact with any of them. In this study, we used a yeast-two-hybrid screen with FT2 as bait and identified a grass-specific bZIP-containing transcription factor from the C-group, designated here as bZIPC1. Within the C-group, we identified four clades including wheat proteins that show Y2H interactions with different sets of FT-like and CEN-like encoded proteins. bZIPC1 and FT2 expression partially overlap in the developing spike, including the inflorescence meristem. Combined loss-of-function mutations in bZIPC-A1 and bZIPC-B1 (bzipc1) in tetraploid wheat resulted in a drastic reduction in SNS with a limited effect on heading date. Analysis of natural variation in the bZIPC-B1 (TraesCS5B02G444100) region revealed three major haplotypes (H1-H3), with the H1 haplotype showing significantly higher SNS, grain number per spike and grain weight per spike than both the H2 and H3 haplotypes. The favorable effect of the H1 haplotype was also supported by its increased frequency from the ancestral cultivated tetraploids to the modern tetraploid and hexaploid wheat varieties. We developed markers for the two non-synonymous SNPs that differentiate the bZIPC-B1b allele in the H1 haplotype from the ancestral bZIPC-B1a allele present in all other haplotypes. These diagnostic markers are useful tools to accelerate the deployment of the favorable bZIPC-B1b allele in pasta and bread wheat breeding programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Priscilla Glenn
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Daniel P Woods
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, MD, 20815, USA
| | - Junli Zhang
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Gilad Gabay
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Natalie Odle
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Jorge Dubcovsky
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616, USA.
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, MD, 20815, USA.
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Thapliyal G, Bhandari MS, Vemanna RS, Pandey S, Meena RK, Barthwal S. Engineering traits through CRISPR/cas genome editing in woody species to improve forest diversity and yield. Crit Rev Biotechnol 2023; 43:884-903. [PMID: 35968912 DOI: 10.1080/07388551.2022.2092714] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2021] [Revised: 04/27/2022] [Accepted: 05/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
Dangers confronting forest ecosystems are many and the strength of these biological systems is deteriorating, thus substantially affecting tree physiology, phenology, and growth. The establishment of genetically engineered trees into degraded woodlands, which would be adaptive to changing climate, could help in subsiding ecological threats and bring new prospects. This should not be resisted due to the apprehension of transgene dispersal in forests. Consequently, it is important to have a deep insight into the genetic structure and phenotypic limits of the reproductive capability of tree stands/population(s) to endure tolerance and survival. Importantly, for a better understanding of genes and their functional mechanisms, gene editing (GeEd) technology is an excellent molecular tool to unravel adaptation progressions. Therefore, GeEd could be harnessed for resolving the allelic interactions for the creation of gene diversity, and transgene dispersal may be alleviated among the population or species in different bioclimatic zones around the globe. This review highlights the potential of the CRISPR/Cas tools in genomic, transcriptomic, and epigenomic-based assorted and programmable alterations of genes in trees that might be able to fix the trait-specific gene function. Also, we have discussed the application of diverse forms of GeEd to genetically improve several traits, such as wood density, phytochemical constituents, biotic and abiotic stress tolerance, and photosynthetic efficiency in trees. We believe that the technology encourages fundamental research in the forestry sector besides addressing key aspects, which might fasten tree breeding and germplasm improvement programs worldwide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Garima Thapliyal
- Division of Genetics & Tree Improvement, Forest Research Institute, Dehradun, India
| | - Maneesh S Bhandari
- Division of Genetics & Tree Improvement, Forest Research Institute, Dehradun, India
| | - Ramu S Vemanna
- Regional Center for Biotechnology, NCR Biotech Science Cluster, Faridabad, India
| | - Shailesh Pandey
- Forest Pathology Discipline, Forest Protection Division, Forest Research Institute, Dehradun, India
| | - Rajendra K Meena
- Division of Genetics & Tree Improvement, Forest Research Institute, Dehradun, India
| | - Santan Barthwal
- Division of Genetics & Tree Improvement, Forest Research Institute, Dehradun, India
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6
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Elsharawy H, Refat M. CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing in wheat: enhancing quality and productivity for global food security-a review. Funct Integr Genomics 2023; 23:265. [PMID: 37541970 DOI: 10.1007/s10142-023-01190-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2023] [Revised: 07/26/2023] [Accepted: 07/27/2023] [Indexed: 08/06/2023]
Abstract
Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is an important cereal crop that is grown all over the world for food and industrial purposes. Wheat is essential to the human diet due to its rich content of necessary amino acids, minerals, vitamins, and calories. Various wheat breeding techniques have been utilized to improve its quality, productivity, and resistance to biotic and abiotic stress impairing production. However, these techniques are expensive, demanding, and time-consuming. Additionally, these techniques need multiple generations to provide the desired results, and the improved traits could be lost over time. To overcome these challenges, researchers have developed various genome editing tools to improve the quality and quantity of cereal crops, including wheat. Genome editing technologies evolve quickly. Nowadays, single or multiple mutations can be enabled and targeted at specific loci in the plant genome, allowing controlled removal of undesirable features or insertion of advantageous ones. Clustered, regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated protein (Cas) is a powerful genome editing tool that can be effectively used for precise genome editing of wheat and other crops. This review aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of this technology's potential applications to enhance wheat's quality and productivity. It will first explore the function of CRISPR/Cas9 in preserving the adaptive immunity of prokaryotic organisms, followed by a discussion of its current applications in wheat breeding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hany Elsharawy
- Department of Genetics, Faculty of Agriculture, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt.
| | - Moath Refat
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Key Laboratory of Environment and Genes Related to Disease of Ministry of Education, Health Science Center, Xi'an Jiaotong, University, Xi'an, 710061, China
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7
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Sun J, Bie XM, Chu XL, Wang N, Zhang XS, Gao XQ. Genome-edited TaTFL1-5 mutation decreases tiller and spikelet numbers in common wheat. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2023; 14:1142779. [PMID: 36895877 PMCID: PMC9989183 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1142779] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2023] [Accepted: 02/07/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Tillering is a critical agronomic trait of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) that determines the shoot architecture and affects grain yield. TERMINAL FLOWER 1 (TFL1), encoding a phosphatidylethanolamine-binding protein, is implicated in the transition to flowering and shoot architecture in plant development. However, the roles of TFL1 homologs is little known in wheat development. CRISPR/Cas9-mediated targeted mutagenesis was used in this study to generate a set of wheat (Fielder) mutants with single, double or triple-null tatfl1-5 alleles. The wheat tatfl1-5 mutations decreased the tiller number per plant in the vegetative growth stage and the effective tiller number per plant and spikelet number per spike at maturity in the field. RNA-seq analysis showed that the expression of the auxin signaling-related and cytokinin signaling-related genes was significantly changed in the axillary buds of tatfl1-5 mutant seedlings. The results suggested that wheat TaTFL1-5s were implicated in tiller regulation by auxin and cytokinin signaling.
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8
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Slafer GA, Foulkes MJ, Reynolds MP, Murchie EH, Carmo-Silva E, Flavell R, Gwyn J, Sawkins M, Griffiths S. A 'wiring diagram' for sink strength traits impacting wheat yield potential. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2023; 74:40-71. [PMID: 36334052 PMCID: PMC9786893 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erac410] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2022] [Accepted: 11/04/2022] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
Identifying traits for improving sink strength is a bottleneck to increasing wheat yield. The interacting processes determining sink strength and yield potential are reviewed and visualized in a set of 'wiring diagrams', covering critical phases of development (and summarizing known underlying genetics). Using this framework, we reviewed and assembled the main traits determining sink strength and identified research gaps and potential hypotheses to be tested for achieving gains in sink strength. In pre-anthesis, grain number could be increased through: (i) enhanced spike growth associated with optimized floret development and/or a reduction in specific stem-internode lengths and (ii) improved fruiting efficiency through an accelerated rate of floret development, improved partitioning between spikes, or optimized spike cytokinin levels. In post-anthesis, grain, sink strength could be augmented through manipulation of grain size potential via ovary size and/or endosperm cell division and expansion. Prospects for improving spike vascular architecture to support all rapidly growing florets, enabling the improved flow of assimilate, are also discussed. Finally, we considered the prospects for enhancing grain weight realization in relation to genetic variation in stay-green traits as well as stem carbohydrate remobilization. The wiring diagrams provide a potential workspace for breeders and crop scientists to achieve yield gains in wheat and other field crops.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Matthew P Reynolds
- International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), Km. 45, Carretera Mexico, El Batan, Texcoco, Mexico
| | - Erik H Murchie
- Plant and Crop Sciences, School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, Leicestershire LE12 5RD, UK
| | | | - Richard Flavell
- International Wheat Yield Partnership, 1500 Research Parkway, College Station, TX 77843, USA
| | - Jeff Gwyn
- International Wheat Yield Partnership, 1500 Research Parkway, College Station, TX 77843, USA
| | - Mark Sawkins
- International Wheat Yield Partnership, 1500 Research Parkway, College Station, TX 77843, USA
| | - Simon Griffiths
- John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Colney Ln, Norwich NR4 7UH, UK
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Chen Y, Liu Y, Zhang J, Torrance A, Watanabe N, Adamski NM, Uauy C. The Triticum ispahanicum elongated glume locus P2 maps to chromosome 6A and is associated with the ectopic expression of SVP-A1. TAG. THEORETICAL AND APPLIED GENETICS. THEORETISCHE UND ANGEWANDTE GENETIK 2022; 135:2313-2331. [PMID: 35583655 PMCID: PMC9271103 DOI: 10.1007/s00122-022-04114-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2022] [Accepted: 04/21/2022] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
We propose the MADS-box transcription factor SVP-A1 as a promising candidate gene for the elongated glume locus P2, which maps to chromosome 6A instead of the previously proposed chromosome 7B. In rice and wheat, glume and floral organ length are positively correlated with grain size, making them an important target to increase grain size and potentially yield. The wheat subspecies Triticum ispahanicum is known to develop elongated glumes and floral organs as well as long grains. These multiple phenotypic effects are controlled by the P2 locus, which was previously mapped to wheat chromosome 7B. Using three mapping populations, we show that the long glume locus P2 does not map to chromosome 7B, but instead maps to a 1.68 Mbp interval on chromosome 6A. Within this interval, we identified SVP-A1, a MADS box transcription factor which is the direct ortholog of the maize gene underlying the 'pod corn' Tunicate locus and is a paralog to the T. polonicum elongated glume P1 gene. In T. ispahanicum, we identified a unique allele which has a 482-bp deletion in the SVP-A1 promoter and is associated with ectopic and higher expression of SVP-A1 in the elongated glumes and floral organs. We used near-isogenic lines (NILs) to show that P2 has a consistent positive effect on the length of glume, lemma, palea, spike and grain. Based on the mapping data, natural variation, biological function of SVP genes in cereals and expression analyses, we propose the MADS-box transcription factor SVP-A1 as a promising candidate for P2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Chen
- John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, NR4 7UH, UK
| | - Yinqi Liu
- John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, NR4 7UH, UK
- King's College London, Guy's Campus, London, SE1 1UL, UK
| | - Junli Zhang
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Adam Torrance
- John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, NR4 7UH, UK
| | - Nobuyoshi Watanabe
- The Little Nursery, 1152 Ina, Toride, Ibaraki, 302-0026, Japan
- College of Agriculture, Ibaraki University, 3-21-1 Chuo, Ami, Inashiki, Ibaraki, 300-0393, Japan
| | | | - Cristobal Uauy
- John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, NR4 7UH, UK.
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10
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Zhang X, Jia H, Li T, Wu J, Nagarajan R, Lei L, Powers C, Kan CC, Hua W, Liu Z, Chen C, Carver BF, Yan L. TaCol-B5 modifies spike architecture and enhances grain yield in wheat. Science 2022; 376:180-183. [PMID: 35389775 DOI: 10.1126/science.abm0717] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Spike architecture influences grain yield in wheat. We report the map-based cloning of a gene determining the number of spikelet nodes per spike in common wheat. The cloned gene is named TaCOL-B5 and encodes a CONSTANS-like protein that is orthologous to COL5 in plant species. Constitutive overexpression of the dominant TaCol-B5 allele but without the region encoding B-boxes in a common wheat cultivar increases the number of spikelet nodes per spike and produces more tillers and spikes, thereby enhancing grain yield in transgenic plants under field conditions. Allelic variation in TaCOL-B5 results in amino acid substitutions leading to differential protein phosphorylation by the protein kinase TaK4. The TaCol-B5 allele is present in emmer wheat but is rare in a global collection of modern wheat cultivars.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyu Zhang
- Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA
| | - Haiyan Jia
- Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA.,The Applied Plant Genomics Laboratory, National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, Jiangsu, China
| | - Tian Li
- Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA.,Key Laboratory of Crop Gene Resources and Germplasm Enhancement, Institute of Crop Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Jizhong Wu
- Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA.,Institute of Germplasm Resources and Biotechnology, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing 210014, Jiangsu, China
| | - Ragupathi Nagarajan
- Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA
| | - Lei Lei
- Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA
| | - Carol Powers
- Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA
| | - Chia-Cheng Kan
- Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA
| | - Wei Hua
- Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou 310021, China
| | - Zhiyong Liu
- Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Charles Chen
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA
| | - Brett F Carver
- Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA
| | - Liuling Yan
- Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA
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11
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Katz A, Byrne P, Reid S, Bratschun S, Haley S, Pearce S. Identification and validation of a QTL for spikelet number on chromosome arm 6BL of common wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.). MOLECULAR BREEDING : NEW STRATEGIES IN PLANT IMPROVEMENT 2022; 42:17. [PMID: 37309457 PMCID: PMC10248590 DOI: 10.1007/s11032-022-01288-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2021] [Accepted: 03/07/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
To provide food security for a growing world population, it will be necessary to increase yields of staple crops such as wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). Yield is a complex, polygenic trait influenced by grain weight and number, which are negatively correlated with one another. Spikelet number is an important determinant of grain number, but allelic variants impacting its expression are often associated with heading date, constraining their use in wheat germplasm that must be adapted for specific environments. Identification and characterization of genetic variants affecting spikelet number will increase selection efficiency through their deployment in breeding programs. In this study, a quantitative trait locus (QTL) on chromosome arm 6BL for spikelet number was identified and validated using an association mapping panel, a recombinant inbred line population, and seven derived heterogeneous inbred families. The superior allele, QSn.csu-6Bb, was associated with an increase of 0.248 to 0.808 spikelets per spike across multiple environments that varied for mean spikelet number. Despite epistatic interactions between QSn.csu-6B and three other loci (WAPO-A1, VRN-D3, and PPD-B1), genotypes with a greater number of superior alleles at these loci consistently exhibit higher spikelet number. The frequency of superior alleles at these loci varies among winter wheat varieties adapted to different latitudes of the US Great Plains, revealing opportunities for breeders to select for increased spikelet number using simple molecular markers. This work lays the foundation for the positional cloning of the genetic variant underlying the QSn.csu-6B QTL to strengthen our understanding of spikelet number determination in wheat. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11032-022-01288-7.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew Katz
- Department of Soil and Crop Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523 USA
| | - Patrick Byrne
- Department of Soil and Crop Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523 USA
| | - Scott Reid
- Department of Soil and Crop Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523 USA
| | - Sarah Bratschun
- Department of Soil and Crop Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523 USA
| | - Scott Haley
- Department of Soil and Crop Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523 USA
| | - Stephen Pearce
- Department of Soil and Crop Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523 USA
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12
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Kuzay S, Lin H, Li C, Chen S, Woods DP, Zhang J, Lan T, von Korff M, Dubcovsky J. WAPO-A1 is the causal gene of the 7AL QTL for spikelet number per spike in wheat. PLoS Genet 2022; 18:e1009747. [PMID: 35025863 PMCID: PMC8791482 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1009747] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2021] [Revised: 01/26/2022] [Accepted: 12/18/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Improving our understanding of the genes regulating grain yield can contribute to the development of more productive wheat varieties. Previously, a highly significant QTL affecting spikelet number per spike (SNS), grain number per spike (GNS) and grain yield was detected on chromosome arm 7AL in multiple genome-wide association studies. Using a high-resolution genetic map, we established that the A-genome homeolog of WHEAT ORTHOLOG OF APO1 (WAPO-A1) was a leading candidate gene for this QTL. Using mutants and transgenic plants, we demonstrate in this study that WAPO-A1 is the causal gene underpinning this QTL. Loss-of-function mutants wapo-A1 and wapo-B1 showed reduced SNS in tetraploid wheat, and the effect was exacerbated in wapo1 combining both mutations. By contrast, spikes of transgenic wheat plants carrying extra copies of WAPO-A1 driven by its native promoter had higher SNS, a more compact spike apical region and a smaller terminal spikelet than the wild type. Taken together, these results indicate that WAPO1 affects SNS by regulating the timing of terminal spikelet formation. Both transgenic and wapo1 mutant plants showed a wide range of floral abnormalities, indicating additional roles of WAPO1 on wheat floral development. Previously, we found three widespread haplotypes in the QTL region (H1, H2 and H3), each associated with particular WAPO-A1 alleles. Results from this and our previous study show that the WAPO-A1 allele in the H1 haplotype (115-bp deletion in the promoter) is expressed at significantly lower levels in the developing spikes than the alleles in the H2 and H3 haplotypes, resulting in reduced SNS. Field experiments also showed that the H2 haplotype is associated with the strongest effects in increasing SNS and GNS (H2>H3>H1). The H2 haplotype is already present in most modern common wheat varieties but is rare in durum wheat, where it might be particularly useful to improve grain yield.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saarah Kuzay
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of California, Davis, California, United States of America
| | - Huiqiong Lin
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of California, Davis, California, United States of America
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Chengxia Li
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of California, Davis, California, United States of America
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Shisheng Chen
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of California, Davis, California, United States of America
- Peking University Institute of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, Weifang, Shandong, China
| | - Daniel P. Woods
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of California, Davis, California, United States of America
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Junli Zhang
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of California, Davis, California, United States of America
| | - Tianyu Lan
- Institute for Plant Genetics, Heinrich Heine University, Duesseldorf, Germany
| | - Maria von Korff
- Institute for Plant Genetics, Heinrich Heine University, Duesseldorf, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence on Plant Sciences “SMART Plants for Tomorrow’s Needs”, Heinrich Heine University, Duesseldorf, Germany
| | - Jorge Dubcovsky
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of California, Davis, California, United States of America
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, Maryland, United States of America
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13
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Kumar M, Yadav R, Gaikwad KB, Babu P, Kumar Bainsla N, Dharmateja P, Ahmad Chaudhary A, Ansari R. Deciphering the environmental impact on spike architectural traits for grain yield consolidation in bread wheat (T. aestivum L.). Saudi J Biol Sci 2022; 29:2800-2810. [PMID: 35531211 PMCID: PMC9073038 DOI: 10.1016/j.sjbs.2022.01.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2021] [Revised: 12/30/2021] [Accepted: 01/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The realization of grain yield in wheat is decided by source-sink balance under prevailing environmental conditions. Management conditions like changing the sowing time influence the source-sink capacity through modification in agronomic traits. Therefore, this experiment was conducted to decipher the influence of spike architectural traits (SATs) on grain yield and to open avenues for further grain yield enhancement. Comparatively early sowing over timely sowing gives the advantage of realizing higher grain yield with a positive relationship with SATs namely spike length, spikelets per spike, individual spike weight, individual grain weight, number of grains per spikelet, grain length, and grain width of upper and lower spike portion. Confirmatory factorial analysis revealed that spike length, spikelets per spike, individual spike weight, grains per spikelet were having a significant effect in deciding grain yield in early sown. The presence of a significant effect of genotype by environment interaction over grain yield and SATs allows the exploitation of available genotypic and environmental variability for further yield enhancement. GGE analysis on transformed and standardized grain yield-trait (GY-trait) combinations was used in the selection of genotypes having high GY-trait combinations for both sowing times. In early sowing, WG 11 was the best for high GY with high individual spike weight; grain length and grain width at lower and upper parts of the spike; and shorter days to 50% flowering. Genotypes exclusively having the high GY-trait combination along with low values of remaining GY-trait combinations were also selected with genotype focused GGE approach.
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14
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Ivanova YN, Rosenfread KK, Stasyuk AI, Skolotneva ES, Silkova OG. Raise and characterization of a bread wheat hybrid line (Tulaykovskaya 10 × Saratovskaya 29) with chromosome 6Agi2 introgressed from Thinopyrum intermedium. Vavilovskii Zhurnal Genet Selektsii 2021; 25:701-712. [PMID: 34950842 PMCID: PMC8649751 DOI: 10.18699/vj21.080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2021] [Revised: 06/17/2021] [Accepted: 06/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Wheatgrass Thinopyrum intermedium is a source of agronomically valuable traits for common wheat. Partial wheat–wheatgrass amphidiploids and lines with wheatgrass chromosome substitutions are extensively used as intermediates in breeding programs. Line Agis 1 (6Agi2/6D) is present in the cultivar Tulaykovskaya 10 pedigree. Wheatgrass chromosome 6Agi2 carries multiple resistance to fungal diseases in various ecogeographical zones. In this work, we studied the transfer of chromosome 6Agi2 in hybrid populations Saratovskaya 29 × skaya 10 (S29 × T10) and Tulaykovskaya 10 × Saratovskaya 29 (T10 × S29). Chromosome 6Agi2 was identif ied by PCR
with chromosome-specif ic primers and by genomic in situ hybridization (GISH). According to molecular data, 6Agi2
was transmitted to nearly half of the plants tested in the F2 and F3 generations. A new breeding line 49-14 (2n = 42)
with chromosome pair 6Agi2 was isolated and characterized in T10 × S29 F5 by GISH. According to the results of
our f ield experiment in 2020, the line had high productivity traits. The grain weights per plant (10.04 ± 0.93 g) and
the number of grains per plant (259.36 ± 22.49) did not differ signif icantly from the parent varieties. The number of
grains per spikelet in the main spike was signif icantly higher than in S29 ( p ≤ 0.001) or T10 ( p ≤ 0.05). Plants were
characterized by the ability to set 3.77 ± 0.1 grains per spikelet, and this trait varied among individuals from 2.93 to
4.62. The grain protein content was 17.91 %, and the gluten content, 40.55 %. According to the screening for fungal
disease resistance carried out in the f ield in 2018 and 2020, chromosome 6Agi2 makes plants retain immunity to
the West Siberian population of brown rust and to dominant races of stem rust. It also provides medium resistant
and medium susceptible types of response to yellow rust. The possibility of using lines/varieties of bread wheat
with wheatgrass chromosomes 6Agi2 in breeding in order to increase protein content in the grain, to confer resistance
to leaf diseases on plants and to create multif lowered forms is discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu N Ivanova
- Institute of Cytology and Genetics of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Novosibirsk, Russia
| | - K K Rosenfread
- Novosibirsk State Agrarian University, Novosibirsk, Russia
| | - A I Stasyuk
- Kurchatov Genomic Center of ICG SB RAS, Novosibirsk, Russia
| | - E S Skolotneva
- Institute of Cytology and Genetics of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Novosibirsk, Russia
| | - O G Silkova
- Institute of Cytology and Genetics of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Novosibirsk, Russia
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15
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Paul MJ. What are the regulatory targets for intervention in assimilate partitioning to improve crop yield and resilience? JOURNAL OF PLANT PHYSIOLOGY 2021; 266:153537. [PMID: 34619557 DOI: 10.1016/j.jplph.2021.153537] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2021] [Revised: 09/24/2021] [Accepted: 09/27/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Sucrose utilisation for the synthesis of cellular components involved in growth and development and the accumulation of biomass determines diversity in the plant kingdom; sucrose utilisation and partitioning also underpin crop yields. As a complex process the use of sucrose for the partitioning of plant products for yield is decided by the interaction of several regulatory hubs and the integration of metabolism and development. Understanding the regulation of assimilate partitioning has been a grand challenge in plant and crop science. There are emerging examples of genes and processes that appear important for assimilate partitioning that underpin yield in crops and which are amenable to intervention. Enzymes of carbon metabolism were some of the first targets in attempts to modify assimilate partitioning at the beginning (source) and end (sink) of the whole plant assimilate partitioning process. Metabolic enzymes are subject to regulatory and homeostatic mechanisms, a key factor to consider in modifying assimilate partitioning. Trehalose 6-phosphate, as a sucrose signal, may represent a special case in its ability to regulate and coordinate source and sink processes. This review summarises recent progress in understanding the underlying regulators of assimilate partitioning and the current and potentially most promising routes to crop yield enhancement with a main focus on cereals. A framework for how source-sink may regulate whole plant assimilate partitioning involving a few key elements and the central importance of reproductive development is presented.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew J Paul
- Plant Science, Rothamsted Research, Harpenden, Hertfordshire, AL5 2JQ, UK.
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16
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Irfan Ullah M, Mahpara S, Bibi R, Ullah Shah R, Ullah R, Abbas S, Ihsan Ullah M, Hassan AM, El-Shehawi AM, Brestic M, Zivcak M, Ifnan Khan M. Grain yield and correlated traits of bread wheat lines: Implications for yield improvement. Saudi J Biol Sci 2021; 28:5714-5719. [PMID: 34588882 PMCID: PMC8459068 DOI: 10.1016/j.sjbs.2021.06.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2021] [Revised: 04/29/2021] [Accepted: 06/02/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Global wheat yields are suffering due to differences in regional climatic conditions and soil fertility. Plant breeders are continuously working to improve the yield per unit area of wheat crop through selecting superior lines as parents. The screening and field evaluation of available lines allow the selection of superior ones and subsequently improved varieties. Therefore, heritable distinctions among 33 bread wheat lines for yield and related attributes were assessed under field conditions. The experiment included thirty lines and three check varieties. Data relating to different plant characteristics was collected at maturity. Significant differences were recorded for yield and related traits of tested wheat lines and check varieties. Wheat lines V6, V12 and V20 proved better with reduced number of days to reach anthesis and other desirable traits compared to check varieties. Days to start heading had strong correlation with spike length and number of spikelets spike-1. Flag leaf area had positive relationship with peduncle length and yield related traits. The 1000-garin weight and grain yield were also correlated with each other. It is concluded that V6, V10 and V20 proved better for all studied traits than the rest of the lines. Therefore, these lines could be used in wheat breeding program as parents to improve yield.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Irfan Ullah
- Department of Plant Breeding & Genetics, Ghazi University, Dera Ghazi Khan 32200, Pakistan
| | - Shahzadi Mahpara
- Department of Plant Breeding & Genetics, Ghazi University, Dera Ghazi Khan 32200, Pakistan
| | - Rehana Bibi
- Department of Plant Protection, Ghazi University, Dera Ghazi Khan 32200, Pakistan
| | - Rahmat Ullah Shah
- Department of Soil Science, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan 60800, Pakistan
| | - Rehmat Ullah
- Soil and Water Testing Laboratory for Research, Dera Ghazi Khan 32200, Pakistan
| | - Sibtain Abbas
- Department of Plant Breeding & Genetics, Ghazi University, Dera Ghazi Khan 32200, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Ihsan Ullah
- Sorghum Research Substation, Department of Agriculture, Dera Ghazi Khan, Pakistan
| | - Aziza M. Hassan
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Science, Taif University, P.O. Box 11099, Taif 21944, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ahmed M. El-Shehawi
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Science, Taif University, P.O. Box 11099, Taif 21944, Saudi Arabia
| | - Marian Brestic
- Department of Plant Physiology, Slovak University of Agriculture, Nitra, Slovakia
| | - Marek Zivcak
- Department of Plant Physiology, Slovak University of Agriculture, Nitra, Slovakia
| | - Muhamad Ifnan Khan
- Department of Plant Breeding & Genetics, Ghazi University, Dera Ghazi Khan 32200, Pakistan
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17
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Schierenbeck M, Alqudah AM, Lohwasser U, Tarawneh RA, Simón MR, Börner A. Genetic dissection of grain architecture-related traits in a winter wheat population. BMC PLANT BIOLOGY 2021; 21:417. [PMID: 34507551 PMCID: PMC8431894 DOI: 10.1186/s12870-021-03183-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2021] [Accepted: 08/20/2021] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The future productivity of wheat (T. aestivum L.) as the most grown crop worldwide is of utmost importance for global food security. Thousand kernel weight (TKW) in wheat is closely associated with grain architecture-related traits, e.g. kernel length (KL), kernel width (KW), kernel area (KA), kernel diameter ratio (KDR), and factor form density (FFD). Discovering the genetic architecture of natural variation in these traits, identifying QTL and candidate genes are the main aims of this study. Therefore, grain architecture-related traits in 261 worldwide winter accessions over three field-year experiments were evaluated. RESULTS Genome-wide association analysis using 90K SNP array in FarmCPU model revealed several interesting genomic regions including 17 significant SNPs passing false discovery rate threshold and strongly associated with the studied traits. Four of associated SNPs were physically located inside candidate genes within LD interval e.g. BobWhite_c5872_589 (602,710,399 bp) found to be inside TraesCS6A01G383800 (602,699,767-602,711,726 bp). Further analysis reveals the four novel candidate genes potentially involved in more than one grain architecture-related traits with a pleiotropic effects e.g. TraesCS6A01G383800 gene on 6A encoding oxidoreductase activity was associated with TKW and KA. The allelic variation at the associated SNPs showed significant differences betweeen the accessions carying the wild and mutated alleles e.g. accessions carying C allele of BobWhite_c5872_589, TraesCS6A01G383800 had significantly higher TKW than the accessions carying T allele. Interestingly, these genes were highly expressed in the grain-tissues, demonstrating their pivotal role in controlling the grain architecture. CONCLUSIONS These results are valuable for identifying regions associated with kernel weight and dimensions and potentially help breeders in improving kernel weight and architecture-related traits in order to increase wheat yield potential and end-use quality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matías Schierenbeck
- Genebank Department, Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK), OT Gatersleben, Corrensstr 3, D-06466, Seeland, Germany.
- Cereals, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Forestry, National University of La Plata, La Plata, Argentina.
- CONICET CCT La Plata. La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
| | - Ahmad M Alqudah
- Department of Agroecology, Aarhus University at Flakkebjerg, Forsøgsvej 1, 4200, Slagelse, Denmark.
| | - Ulrike Lohwasser
- Genebank Department, Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK), OT Gatersleben, Corrensstr 3, D-06466, Seeland, Germany
| | - Rasha A Tarawneh
- Genebank Department, Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK), OT Gatersleben, Corrensstr 3, D-06466, Seeland, Germany
| | - María Rosa Simón
- Cereals, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Forestry, National University of La Plata, La Plata, Argentina
- CONICET CCT La Plata. La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Andreas Börner
- Genebank Department, Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK), OT Gatersleben, Corrensstr 3, D-06466, Seeland, Germany
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18
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Wolde GM, Schreiber M, Trautewig C, Himmelbach A, Sakuma S, Mascher M, Schnurbusch T. Genome-wide identification of loci modifying spike-branching in tetraploid wheat. TAG. THEORETICAL AND APPLIED GENETICS. THEORETISCHE UND ANGEWANDTE GENETIK 2021; 134:1925-1943. [PMID: 33961064 PMCID: PMC8263435 DOI: 10.1007/s00122-020-03743-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2020] [Accepted: 11/27/2020] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Genetic modification of spike architecture is essential for improving wheat yield. Newly identified loci for the 'Miracle wheat' phenotype on chromosomes 1AS and 2BS have significant effects on spike traits. The wheat (Triticum ssp.) inflorescence, also known as a spike, forms an unbranched inflorescence in which the inflorescence meristem generates axillary spikelet meristems (SMs) destined to become sessile spikelets. Previously, we identified the putatively causative mutation in the branched headt (bht) gene (TtBH-A1) of tetraploid wheat (T. turgidum convar. compositum (L.f.) Filat.) responsible for the loss of SM identity, converting the non-branching spike to a branched wheat spike. In the current study, we performed whole-genome quantitative trait loci (QTL) analysis using 146 recombinant inbred lines (RILs) derived from a cross between spike-branching wheat ('Miracle wheat') and an elite durum wheat cultivar showing broad phenotypic variation for spike architecture. Besides the previously found gene at the bht-A1 locus on the short arm of chromosome 2A, we also mapped two new modifier QTL for spike-branching on the short arm of chromosome 1A, termed bht-A2, and 2BS. Using biparental mapping population and GWAS in 302 diverse accessions, the 2BS locus was highly associated with coding sequence variation found at the homoeo-allele of TtBH-B1 (bht-B1). Thus, RILs that combined both bht-A1 and bht-B1 alleles showed additive genetic effects leading to increased penetrance and expressivity of the supernumerary spikelet and/or mini-spike formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gizaw M Wolde
- Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK), Corrensstr. 3, OT Gatersleben, 06466, Seeland, Germany.
- Department of Plant Sciences One Shields Avenue, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616, USA.
| | - Mona Schreiber
- Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK), Corrensstr. 3, OT Gatersleben, 06466, Seeland, Germany
| | - Corinna Trautewig
- Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK), Corrensstr. 3, OT Gatersleben, 06466, Seeland, Germany
| | - Axel Himmelbach
- Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK), Corrensstr. 3, OT Gatersleben, 06466, Seeland, Germany
| | - Shun Sakuma
- Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK), Corrensstr. 3, OT Gatersleben, 06466, Seeland, Germany
- Faculty of Agriculture, Tottori University, 4-101 Koyama-cho Minami, Tottori, 680-8553, Japan
| | - Martin Mascher
- Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK), Corrensstr. 3, OT Gatersleben, 06466, Seeland, Germany
| | - Thorsten Schnurbusch
- Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK), Corrensstr. 3, OT Gatersleben, 06466, Seeland, Germany.
- Faculty of Natural Sciences III, Institute of Agricultural and Nutritional Sciences, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, 06120, Halle, Germany.
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19
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Zhou H, Riche AB, Hawkesford MJ, Whalley WR, Atkinson BS, Sturrock CJ, Mooney SJ. Determination of wheat spike and spikelet architecture and grain traits using X-ray Computed Tomography imaging. PLANT METHODS 2021; 17:26. [PMID: 33750418 PMCID: PMC7945051 DOI: 10.1186/s13007-021-00726-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2020] [Accepted: 02/26/2021] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Wheat spike architecture is a key determinant of multiple grain yield components and detailed examination of spike morphometric traits is beneficial to explain wheat grain yield and the effects of differing agronomy and genetics. However, quantification of spike morphometric traits has been very limited because it relies on time-consuming manual measurements. RESULTS In this study, using X-ray Computed Tomography imaging, we proposed a method to efficiently detect the 3D architecture of wheat spikes and component spikelets by clustering grains based on their Euclidean distance and relative positions. Morphometric characteristics of wheat spikelets and grains, e.g., number, size and spatial distribution along the spike can be determined. Two commercial wheat cultivars, one old, Maris Widgeon, and one modern, Siskin, were studied as examples. The average grain volume of Maris Widgeon and Siskin did not differ, but Siskin had more grains per spike and therefore greater total grain volume per spike. The spike length and spikelet number were not statistically different between the two cultivars. However, Siskin had a higher spikelet density (number of spikelets per unit spike length), with more grains and greater grain volume per spikelet than Maris Widgeon. Spatial distribution analysis revealed the number of grains, the average grain volume and the total grain volume of individual spikelets varied along the spike. Siskin had more grains and greater grain volumes per spikelet from spikelet 6, but not spikelet 1-5, compared with Maris Widgeon. The distribution of average grain volume along the spike was similar for the two wheat cultivars. CONCLUSION The proposed method can efficiently extract spike, spikelet and grain morphometric traits of different wheat cultivars, which can contribute to a more detailed understanding of the sink of wheat grain yield.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hu Zhou
- School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington Campus, Loughborough, LE12 5RD Leicestershire UK
| | | | | | | | - Brian S. Atkinson
- School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington Campus, Loughborough, LE12 5RD Leicestershire UK
| | - Craig J. Sturrock
- School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington Campus, Loughborough, LE12 5RD Leicestershire UK
| | - Sacha J. Mooney
- School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington Campus, Loughborough, LE12 5RD Leicestershire UK
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20
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Paul MJ, Watson A, Griffiths CA. Linking fundamental science to crop improvement through understanding source and sink traits and their integration for yield enhancement. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2020; 71:2270-2280. [PMID: 31665486 PMCID: PMC7134924 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erz480] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2019] [Accepted: 10/11/2019] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Understanding processes in sources and sinks that contribute to crop yields has taken years of painstaking research. For crop yield improvement, processes need to be understood as standalone mechanisms in addition to how these mechanisms perform at the crop level; currently there is often a chasm between the two. Fundamental mechanisms need to be considered in the context of crop ideotypes and the agricultural environment which is often more water limited than carbon limited. Different approaches for improvement should be considered, namely is there genetic variation? Or if not, could genetic modification, genome editing, or alternative approaches be utilized? Currently, there are few examples where genetic modification has improved intrinsic yield in the field for commercial application in a major crop. Genome editing, particularly of negative yield regulators as a first step, is providing new opportunities. Here we highlight key mechanisms in source and sink, arguing that for large yield increases integration of key processes is likely to produce the biggest successes within the framework of crop ideotypes with optimized phenology. We highlight a plethora of recent papers that show breakthroughs in fundamental science and the promise of the trehalose 6-phosphate signalling pathway, which regulates carbohydrate allocation which is key for many crop traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew J Paul
- Plant Science, Rothamsted Research, Harpenden, Hertfordshire, UK
- Correspondence:
| | - Amy Watson
- Plant Science, Rothamsted Research, Harpenden, Hertfordshire, UK
| | - Cara A Griffiths
- Plant Science, Rothamsted Research, Harpenden, Hertfordshire, UK
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21
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Sakuma S, Schnurbusch T. Of floral fortune: tinkering with the grain yield potential of cereal crops. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2020; 225:1873-1882. [PMID: 31509613 DOI: 10.1111/nph.16189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2019] [Accepted: 08/28/2019] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Enhancing the yield potential and stability of small-grain cereals, such as wheat (Triticum sp.), rice (Oryza sativa), and barley (Hordeum vulgare), is a priority for global food security. Over the last several decades, plant breeders have increased grain yield mainly by increasing the number of grains produced in each inflorescence. This trait is determined by the number of spikelets per spike and the number of fertile florets per spikelet. Recent genetic and genomic advances in cereal grass species have identified the molecular determinants of grain number and facilitated the exchange of information across genera. In this review, we focus on the genetic basis of inflorescence architecture in Triticeae crops, highlighting recent insights that have helped to improve grain yield by, for example, reducing the preprogrammed abortion of floral organs. The accumulating information on inflorescence development can be harnessed to enhance grain yield by comparative trait reconstruction and rational design to boost the yield potential of grain crops.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shun Sakuma
- Faculty of Agriculture, Tottori University, Tottori, 680-8553, Japan
| | - Thorsten Schnurbusch
- Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research, Gatersleben, 06466, Germany
- Faculty of Natural Sciences III, Institute of Agricultural and Nutritional Sciences, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, Germany
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22
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Ma J, Ding P, Liu J, Li T, Zou Y, Habib A, Mu Y, Tang H, Jiang Q, Liu Y, Chen G, Wang J, Deng M, Qi P, Li W, Pu Z, Zheng Y, Wei Y, Lan X. Identification and validation of a major and stably expressed QTL for spikelet number per spike in bread wheat. TAG. THEORETICAL AND APPLIED GENETICS. THEORETISCHE UND ANGEWANDTE GENETIK 2019; 132:3155-3167. [PMID: 31435704 DOI: 10.1007/s00122-019-03415-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2019] [Accepted: 08/14/2019] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
A major and stably expressed QTL for spikelet number per spike identified in a 2-cM interval on chromosome arm 2DS was validated using two populations with different genetic backgrounds. Spikelet number per spike (SNS) plays a key role in wheat yield improvement. Numerous genetic and environmental factors influencing SNS have been documented, but the number of major, stably expressed and validated loci underlying SNS is still limited. In this study, a recombinant inbred line (RIL) population derived from a normal spikelet cultivar and a multiple-spikelet wheat line (with a longer spike with more canonically oriented apical spikelets) was genotyped using a Wheat55K single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) array and simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers. SNS was measured for this RIL population in eight environments. Five QTL were each identified in two or more environments. One of them, QSns.sau-2D (LOD = 3.47-38.24, PVE = 10.16-45.68%), was detected in all the eight environments. The QTL was located in a 2-cM interval on chromosome arm 2DS flanked by the markers AX-109836946 and AX-111956072. This QTL, QSns.sau-2D, significantly increased SNS by up to 14.72%. Several genes associated with plant growth and development were identified in the physical interval of QSns.sau-2D. This QTL was further validated by the tightly linked Kompetitive Allele Specific PCR (KASP) marker, KASP-AX-94721936, in two other populations with different genetic backgrounds. The significant correlation between SNS and anthesis date, plant height, spike length, grain number per spike and thousand-grain weight were detected and discussed. These results lay the foundation for fine mapping and cloning gene(s) underlying QSns.sau-2D.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jian Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Gene Exploration and Utilization in Southwest China, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, China.
- Triticeae Research Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, China.
| | - Puyang Ding
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Gene Exploration and Utilization in Southwest China, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, China
- Triticeae Research Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, China
| | - Jiajun Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Gene Exploration and Utilization in Southwest China, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, China
- Triticeae Research Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, China
| | - Ting Li
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Gene Exploration and Utilization in Southwest China, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, China
- Triticeae Research Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, China
| | - Yaya Zou
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Gene Exploration and Utilization in Southwest China, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, China
- Triticeae Research Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, China
| | - Ahsan Habib
- Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering Discipline, Khulna University, Khulna, 9208, Bangladesh
| | - Yang Mu
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Gene Exploration and Utilization in Southwest China, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, China
- Triticeae Research Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, China
| | - Huaping Tang
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Gene Exploration and Utilization in Southwest China, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, China
- Triticeae Research Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, China
| | - Qiantao Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Gene Exploration and Utilization in Southwest China, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, China
- Triticeae Research Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, China
| | - Yaxi Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Gene Exploration and Utilization in Southwest China, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, China
- Triticeae Research Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, China
| | - Guoyue Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Gene Exploration and Utilization in Southwest China, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, China
- Triticeae Research Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, China
| | - Jirui Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Gene Exploration and Utilization in Southwest China, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, China
- Triticeae Research Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, China
| | - Mei Deng
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Gene Exploration and Utilization in Southwest China, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, China
- Triticeae Research Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, China
| | - Pengfei Qi
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Gene Exploration and Utilization in Southwest China, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, China
- Triticeae Research Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, China
| | - Wei Li
- College of Agronomy, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, China
| | - Zhien Pu
- College of Agronomy, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, China
| | - Youliang Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Gene Exploration and Utilization in Southwest China, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, China
- Triticeae Research Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, China
| | - Yuming Wei
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Gene Exploration and Utilization in Southwest China, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, China
- Triticeae Research Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, China
| | - Xiujin Lan
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Gene Exploration and Utilization in Southwest China, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, China.
- Triticeae Research Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, China.
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23
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Wolde GM, Schnurbusch T. Inferring vascular architecture of the wheat spikelet based on resource allocation in the branched head t (bh t-A1) near isogenic lines. FUNCTIONAL PLANT BIOLOGY : FPB 2019; 46:1023-1035. [PMID: 32172750 DOI: 10.1071/fp19041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2018] [Accepted: 06/21/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Substantial genetic and physiological efforts were made to understand the causal factors of floral abortion and grain filling problem in wheat. However, the vascular architecture during wheat spikelet development is surprisingly under-researched. We used the branched headt near-isogenic lines, FL-bht-A1-NILs, to visualise the dynamics of spikelet fertility and dry matter accumulation in spikelets sharing the same rachis node (henceforth Primary Spikelet, PSt, and Secondary Spikelet, SSt). The experiment was conducted after grouping FL-bht-A1-NILs into two groups, where tillers were consistently removed from one group. Our results show differential spikelet fertility and dry matter accumulation between the PSt and SSt, but also showed a concomitant improvement after de-tillering. This suggests a tight regulation of assimilate supply and dry matter accumulation in wheat spikelets. Since PSt and SSt share the same rachis node, the main vascular bundle in the rachis/rachilla is expected to bifurcate to connect each spikelet/floret to the vascular system. We postulate that the vascular structure in the wheat spikelet might even follow Murray's law, where the wide conduits assigned at the base of the spikelet feed the narrower conduits of the distal florets. We discuss our results based on the two modalities of the vascular network systems in plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gizaw M Wolde
- Independent HEISENBERG-Research Group Plant Architecture, Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK), Corrensstr. 3, OT Gatersleben, D-06466 Seeland, Germany; and Present address: Department of Plant Sciences, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA; and Corresponding authors. Emails: ;
| | - Thorsten Schnurbusch
- Independent HEISENBERG-Research Group Plant Architecture, Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK), Corrensstr. 3, OT Gatersleben, D-06466 Seeland, Germany; and Faculty of Natural Sciences III, Institute of Agricultural and Nutritional Sciences, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, 06120 Halle, Germany; and Corresponding authors. Emails: ;
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24
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Li J, Jiao Z, He R, Sun Y, Xu Q, Zhang J, Jiang Y, Li Q, Niu J. Gene Expression Profiles and microRNA Regulation Networks in Tiller Primordia, Stem Tips, and Young Spikes of Wheat Guomai 301. Genes (Basel) 2019; 10:genes10090686. [PMID: 31500166 PMCID: PMC6770858 DOI: 10.3390/genes10090686] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2019] [Revised: 08/07/2019] [Accepted: 08/22/2019] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Tillering and spike differentiation are two key events for wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). A study on the transcriptomes and microRNA group profiles of wheat at the two key developmental stages will bring insight into the molecular regulation mechanisms. Guomai 301 is a representative excellent new high yield wheat cultivar in the Henan province in China. The transcriptomes and microRNA (miRNA) groups of tiller primordia (TPs), stem tips (STs), and young spikes (YSs) in Guomai 301 were compared to each other. A total of 1741 tillering specifically expressed and 281 early spikes differentiating specifically expressed differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified. Six major expression profile clusters of tissue-specific DEGs for the three tissues were classified by gene co-expression analysis using K-means cluster. The ribosome (ko03010), photosynthesis-antenna proteins (ko00196), and plant hormone signal transduction (ko04075) were the main metabolic pathways in TPs, STs, and YSs, respectively. Similarly, 67 TP specifically expressed and 19 YS specifically expressed differentially expressed miRNAs were identified, 65 of them were novel. The roles of 3 well known miRNAs, tae-miR156, tae-miR164, and tae-miR167a, in post-transcriptional regulation were similar to that of other researches. There were 651 significant negative miRNA-mRNA interaction pairs in TPs and YSs, involving 63 differentially expressed miRNAs (fold change > 4) and 416 differentially expressed mRNAs. Among them 12 key known miRNAs and 16 novel miRNAs were further analyzed, and miRNA-mRNA regulatory networks during tillering and early spike differentiating were established.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junchang Li
- National Centre of Engineering and Technological Research for Wheat / Key Laboratory of Physiological Ecology and Genetic Improvement of Food Crops in Henan Province, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450046, China
| | - Zhixin Jiao
- National Centre of Engineering and Technological Research for Wheat / Key Laboratory of Physiological Ecology and Genetic Improvement of Food Crops in Henan Province, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450046, China
| | - Ruishi He
- National Centre of Engineering and Technological Research for Wheat / Key Laboratory of Physiological Ecology and Genetic Improvement of Food Crops in Henan Province, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450046, China
| | - Yulong Sun
- National Centre of Engineering and Technological Research for Wheat / Key Laboratory of Physiological Ecology and Genetic Improvement of Food Crops in Henan Province, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450046, China
| | - Qiaoqiao Xu
- National Centre of Engineering and Technological Research for Wheat / Key Laboratory of Physiological Ecology and Genetic Improvement of Food Crops in Henan Province, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450046, China
| | - Jing Zhang
- National Centre of Engineering and Technological Research for Wheat / Key Laboratory of Physiological Ecology and Genetic Improvement of Food Crops in Henan Province, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450046, China
| | - Yumei Jiang
- National Centre of Engineering and Technological Research for Wheat / Key Laboratory of Physiological Ecology and Genetic Improvement of Food Crops in Henan Province, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450046, China
| | - Qiaoyun Li
- National Centre of Engineering and Technological Research for Wheat / Key Laboratory of Physiological Ecology and Genetic Improvement of Food Crops in Henan Province, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450046, China
| | - Jishan Niu
- National Centre of Engineering and Technological Research for Wheat / Key Laboratory of Physiological Ecology and Genetic Improvement of Food Crops in Henan Province, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450046, China.
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25
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Kuzay S, Xu Y, Zhang J, Katz A, Pearce S, Su Z, Fraser M, Anderson JA, Brown-Guedira G, DeWitt N, Peters Haugrud A, Faris JD, Akhunov E, Bai G, Dubcovsky J. Identification of a candidate gene for a QTL for spikelet number per spike on wheat chromosome arm 7AL by high-resolution genetic mapping. TAG. THEORETICAL AND APPLIED GENETICS. THEORETISCHE UND ANGEWANDTE GENETIK 2019; 132:2689-2705. [PMID: 31254024 PMCID: PMC6708044 DOI: 10.1007/s00122-019-03382-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2019] [Revised: 06/12/2019] [Accepted: 06/16/2019] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
A high-resolution genetic map combined with haplotype analyses identified a wheat ortholog of rice gene APO1 as the best candidate gene for a 7AL locus affecting spikelet number per spike. A better understanding of the genes controlling differences in wheat grain yield components can accelerate the improvements required to satisfy future food demands. In this study, we identified a promising candidate gene underlying a quantitative trait locus (QTL) on wheat chromosome arm 7AL regulating spikelet number per spike (SNS). We used large heterogeneous inbred families ( > 10,000 plants) from two crosses to map the 7AL QTL to an 87-kb region (674,019,191-674,106,327 bp, RefSeq v1.0) containing two complete and two partial genes. In this region, we found three major haplotypes that were designated as H1, H2 and H3. The H2 haplotype contributed the high-SNS allele in both H1 × H2 and H2 × H3 segregating populations. The ancestral H3 haplotype is frequent in wild emmer (48%) but rare (~ 1%) in cultivated wheats. By contrast, the H1 and H2 haplotypes became predominant in modern cultivated durum and common wheat, respectively. Among the four candidate genes, only TraesCS7A02G481600 showed a non-synonymous polymorphism that differentiated H2 from the other two haplotypes. This gene, designated here as WHEAT ORTHOLOG OF APO1 (WAPO1), is an ortholog of the rice gene ABERRANT PANICLE ORGANIZATION 1 (APO1), which affects spikelet number. Taken together, the high-resolution genetic map, the association between polymorphisms in the different mapping populations with differences in SNS, and the known role of orthologous genes in other grass species suggest that WAPO-A1 is the most likely candidate gene for the 7AL SNS QTL among the four genes identified in the candidate gene region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saarah Kuzay
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Yunfeng Xu
- Department of Agronomy, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, 66506, USA
| | - Junli Zhang
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Andrew Katz
- Department of Soil and Crop Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, 80523, USA
| | - Stephen Pearce
- Department of Soil and Crop Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, 80523, USA
| | - Zhenqi Su
- Department of Agronomy, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, 66506, USA
| | - Max Fraser
- Department of Agronomy and Plant Genetics, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, 55108, USA
| | - James A Anderson
- Department of Agronomy and Plant Genetics, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, 55108, USA
| | | | - Noah DeWitt
- Department of Crop and Soil Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27695, USA
| | | | - Justin D Faris
- USDA-Agricultural Research Service, Cereal Crops Research Unit, Edward T. Schafer Agricultural Research Center, Fargo, ND, 58102, USA
| | - Eduard Akhunov
- Department of Plant Pathology, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, 66506, USA
| | - Guihua Bai
- Department of Agronomy, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, 66506, USA.
- USDA-ARS, Hard Winter Wheat Genetics Research Unit, Manhattan, KS, 66506, USA.
| | - Jorge Dubcovsky
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616, USA.
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, MD, 20815, USA.
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