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Identification and validation of QTL for spike fertile floret and fruiting efficiencies in hexaploid wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

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Abstract

Key message

This study identified and validated two QTL associated with spike fertile floret and fruiting efficiencies. They represent two new loci to use in MAS to improve wheat yield potential.

Abstract

The spike fruiting efficiency (FE—grains per unit spike dry weight at anthesis, GN/SDW) is a promising trait to improve wheat yield potential. It depends on fertile floret efficiency (fertile florets per unit SDW—FFE, FF/SDW) and grain set (grains per fertile floret—GST). Given its difficult measurement, it is often estimated as the grains per unit of nongrain spike dry weight at maturity (FEm). In this study, quantitative trait loci (QTL) were mapped using a double haploid population (Baguette 19/BIOINTA 2002, with high and low FE, respectively) genotyped with the iSelect 90 K SNP array and evaluated in five environments. We identified 37 QTL, but two were major with an R2 > 10% and stable for being at least present in three environments: the QFEm.perg-3A (on Chr. 3A, 51.6 cM, 685.12 Mb) for FEm and the QFFE.perg-5A (on Chr. 5A, 42.1 cM, 461.49 Mb) for FFE, FE and FEm. Both QTL were validated using two independent F2 populations and KASP markers. For the most promising QTL, QFFE.perg-5A, the presence of the allele for high FFE resulted in + 4% FF, + 9% GN, + 13% GST, + 16% yield gSDW−1 and + 5% yield spike−1. QFEm.perg-3A and QFFE.perg-5A represent two new loci to use in MAS to improve wheat yield potential.

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Notes

  1. https://github.com/juancrescente/lmap.

Abbreviations

B19:

Baguette 19

B2002:

BIOINTA 2002

CH:

Chaff (no-grain spike dry weight at maturity, g spike−1)

CN:

Compactness of the spike (mm node−1)

DH:

Double haploid

E1 to E5:

Testing environments

FFE:

Fertile floret efficiency (florets gSDW−1)

FE:

Fruiting efficiency (grains gSDW−1)

FEm:

Fruiting efficiency at maturity (grains gCH−1)

FF:

Fertile florets per spike (n° spike−1)

FFFS:

Fertile florets per fertile spikelet (n° spikelet−1)

FS:

Fertile spikelets per spike (n° spike−1)

GN:

Grain number per spike (n° spike−1)

GST:

Grain set (n° grains floret−1)

GW:

Grain weight (g)

Pop 1:

F2 population showing segregation for the QFFE.perg-5A

Pop 2:

F2 population showing segregation for the QFEm.perg-3A

SDW:

Spike dry weight at anthesis (g spike−1)

SL:

Spike length (mm)

TS:

Total spikelets per spike (n° spike−1)

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Acknowledgements

The present work was funded by the National Agency of Scientific and Technical Promotion of Argentina (PICT 2012-1198, PICT 2014-1283), the National Institute of Agricultural and Husbandry Technology (INTA, PNCYO 1127042), Argentina, the Monsanto Beachell-Bourlag Scholarship, the Northwest University of Buenos Aires Province (UNNOBA, SIB 2015, SIB 2017, SIB 2019), Argentina, and the EU FP7 Funding (ADAPATWHEAT 289842). NP is a research fellow of the National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET) at the Center for Research and Transfer of Northwest Buenos Aires (CITNOBA).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centro de Investigaciones y Transferencia del Noroeste de la Provincia de Buenos Aires (CITNOBA, CONICET-UNNOBA-UNSADA), Monteagudo 2772, CP 2700, Pergamino, Buenos Aires, Argentina

    Nicole Pretini & Fernanda G. González

  2. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA), EEA Marcos Juárez. Ruta 12 s/n, CP 2850, Marcos Juárez, Córdoba, Argentina

    Leonardo S. Vanzetti

  3. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Godoy Cruz 2290, CP C1425FQB, Buenos Aires, Argentina

    Leonardo S. Vanzetti & Fernanda G. González

  4. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA), EEA Pergamino. Ruta 32, km 4,5, CP 2700, Pergamino, Buenos Aires, Argentina

    Ignacio I. Terrile & Fernanda G. González

  5. Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK), Corrensstrassen 3, 06466, OT Gatersleben, Germany

    Andreas Börner & Marion Röder

  6. Trait Genetics GmbH, Am Schwabeplan 1b, 06466, OT Gatersleben, Germany

    Jörg Plieske & Martin Ganal

Authors
  1. Nicole Pretini
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  2. Leonardo S. Vanzetti
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  3. Ignacio I. Terrile
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  4. Andreas Börner
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  5. Jörg Plieske
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  6. Martin Ganal
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  7. Marion Röder
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  8. Fernanda G. González
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Contributions

FGG identified the parental lines for developing the populations. FGG, IIT and AB generated the DH populations. IIT, JP, MG and MR helped with the initial genotyping and mapping of the populations. NP and LSV improved and set the final genetic map. IIT and FGG carried out the phenotyping experiments for 2012 and 2013. NP, IIT and FGG carried out the phenotyping experiments for 2015 and 2016. LSV, NP and FGG designed the validation experiments. NP and LSV conducted the F2 genotyping and the QTL analyses. NP wrote the first manuscript with revision from LSV and FGG. FGG designed and coordinated the project.

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Correspondence to Nicole Pretini.

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The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest. This study does not include human or animal subjects.

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Communicated by Takao Komatsuda.

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Pretini, N., Vanzetti, L.S., Terrile, I.I. et al. Identification and validation of QTL for spike fertile floret and fruiting efficiencies in hexaploid wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). Theor Appl Genet 133, 2655–2671 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00122-020-03623-y

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