Chromosome-level assembly of the synthetic hexaploid wheat-derived cultivar Chuanmai 104.

Synthetic hexaploid wheats (SHWs) are effective genetic resources for transferring agronomically important genes from wild relatives to common wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). Dozens of reference-quality pseudomolecule assemblies of hexaploid wheat have been generated, but none is reported for SHW-derived cultivars. Here, we generated a chromosome-scale assembly for the SHW-derived cultivar 'Chuanmai 104' based on PacBio HiFi reads and chromosome conformation capture sequencing. The total assembly size was 14.81 Gb with a contig N50 length of 58.25 Mb. A BUSCO analysis yielded a completeness score of 99.30%. In total, repetitive elements comprised 81.36% of the genome and 122,554 high-confidence protein-coding gene models were predicted. In summary, the first chromosome-level assembly for a SHW-derived cultivar presents a promising outlook for the study and utilization of SHWs in wheat improvement, which is essential to meet the global food demand.

Cytological and genetic effects of rye chromosomes 1RS and 3R on the wheat-breeding founder parent Chuanmai 42 from southwestern China.

Rye (Secale cereale L.) is an important genetic resource for improving the disease resistance of wheat. An increasing number of rye chromosome segments have been transferred into modern wheat cultivars via chromatin insertions. In this study, 185 recombinant inbred lines (RILs) derived from a cross between a wheat accession containing rye chromosomes 1RS and 3R and a wheat-breeding founder parent Chuanmai 42 from southwestern China were used to decipher the cytological and genetic effects of 1RS and 3R via fluorescence/genomic in situ hybridization and quantitative trait locus (QTL) analyses. Chromosome centromere breakage and fusion were detected in the RIL population. Additionally, the recombination of chromosomes 1BS and 3D from Chuanmai 42 was completely suppressed by 1RS and 3R in the RIL population. In contrast to chromosome 3D of Chuanmai 42, rye chromosome 3R was significantly associated with white seed coats and decreased yield-related traits, as revealed by QTL and single marker analyses, whereas it had no effect on stripe rust resistance. Rye chromosome 1RS did not affect yield-related traits and it increased the susceptibility of plants to stripe rust. Most of the detected QTLs that positively affected yield-related traits were from Chuanmai 42. The findings of this study suggest that the negative effects of rye-wheat substitutions or translocations, including the suppression of the pyramiding of favorable QTLs on paired wheat chromosomes from different parents and the transfer of disadvantageous alleles to filial generations, should be considered when selecting alien germplasm to enhance wheat-breeding founder parents or to breed new varieties. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11032-023-01386-0.

Precisely mapping a major QTL for grain weight on chromosome 5B of the founder parent Chuanmai42 in the wheat-growing region of southwestern China.

KEY MESSAGE: QTgw.saas-5B was validated as a major thousand-grain weight-related QTL in a founder parent used for wheat breeding and then precisely mapped to a 0.6 cM interval. Increasing the thousand-grain weight (TGW) is considered to be one of the most important ways to improve yield, which is a core objective among wheat breeders. Chuanmai42, which is a wheat cultivar with high TGW and a high and stable yield, is a parent of more than 30 new varieties grown in southwestern China. In this study, a Chuanmai42-derived recombinant inbred line (RIL) population was used to dissect the genetic basis of TGW. A major QTL (QTgw.saas-5B) mapped to the Xgwm213-Xgwm540 interval on chromosome 5B of Chuanmai42 explained up to 20% of the phenotypic variation. Using 71 recombinants with a recombination in the QTgw.saas-5B interval identified from a secondary RIL population comprising 1818 lines constructed by crossing the QTgw.saas-5B near-isogenic line with the recurrent parent Chuannong16, QTgw.saas-5B was delimited to a 0.6 cM interval, corresponding to a 21.83 Mb physical interval in the Chinese Spring genome. These findings provide the foundation for QTgw.saas-5B cloning and its use in molecular marker-assisted breeding.

New insights on the evolution of nucleolar dominance in newly resynthesized hexaploid wheat Triticum zhukovskyi.

Nucleolar dominance (ND) is a widespread epigenetic phenomenon in hybridizations where nucleolus transcription fails at the nucleolus organizer region (NOR). However, the dynamics of NORs during the formation of Triticum zhukovskyi (GGAu Au Am Am ), another evolutionary branch of allohexaploid wheat, remains poorly understood. Here, we elucidated genetic and epigenetic changes occurring at the NOR loci within the Am , G, and D subgenomes during allopolyploidization by synthesizing hexaploid wheat GGAu Au Am Am and GGAu Au DD. In T. zhukovskyi, Au genome NORs from T. timopheevii (GGAu Au ) were lost, while the second incoming NORs from T. monococcum (Am Am ) were retained. Analysis of the synthesized T. zhukovskyi revealed that rRNA genes from the Am genome were silenced in F1 hybrids (GAu Am ) and remained inactive after genome doubling and subsequent self-pollinations. We observed increased DNA methylation accompanying the inactivation of NORs in the Am genome and found that silencing of NORs in the S1 generation could be reversed by a cytidine methylase inhibitor. Our findings provide insights into the ND process during the evolutionary period of T. zhukovskyi and highlight that inactive rDNA units may serve as a 'first reserve' in the form of R-loops, contributing to the successful evolution of T. zhukovskyi.

Development and cytological characterization of wheat-Thinopyrum intermedium translocation lines with novel stripe rust resistance gene.

Wheat stripe rust is a destructive disease in many cool and temperate regions around the world. Exploiting novel sources of resistance can provide wheat cultivars with robust and durable resistance to stripe rust. The wheat-Thinopyrum intermedium addition line TAI-14 was proven to carry a stripe rust resistance gene (named as YrT14) on the alien Th. intermedium chromosome. In order to transfer the resistance gene to wheat, wheat-Th. intermedium translocation lines were created by irradiating the pollen of the line TAI-14. We totally obtained 153 wheat-Th. intermedium translocation lines, among which the long alien segmental translocation line Zhongke 78 and the intercalary translocation line Zhongke 15 not only showed good integrated agronomic traits but also were identified as highly resistant to stripe rust in both seedling and adult plant stages. The alien chromatin in Zhongke 15 was identified as an insertion into the satellite of chromosome 6B, a type of translocation never reported before in chromosome engineering. By screening Simple Sequence Repeat (SSR) and Expressed Sequence Tag (EST) markers as well as the markers developed from RNA-sequencing (RNA-Seq) data, 14 markers were identified specific for the alien chromosome and a physical map was constructed. Both Zhongke 78 and Zhongke 15 could be used as a novel source of stripe rust resistance for wheat breeding, and the linked marker T14K50 can be used for molecular marker-assisted breeding. Finally, based on the karyotype, reaction to stripe rust, and genome resequencing data of different wheat-Th. intermedium translocation lines, the stripe rust resistance gene YrT14 was located to an 88.1 Mb interval from 636.7 to 724.8 Mb on Th. intermedium chromosome 19 corresponding to 7J or 7Js.

Genetic Improvement and Application Practices of Synthetic Hexaploid Wheat.

Synthetic hexaploid wheat (SHW) is a useful genetic resource that can be used to improve the performance of common wheat by transferring favorable genes from a wide range of tetraploid or diploid donors. From the perspectives of physiology, cultivation, and molecular genetics, the use of SHW has the potential to increase wheat yield. Moreover, genomic variation and recombination were enhanced in newly formed SHW, which could generate more genovariation or new gene combinations compared to ancestral genomes. Accordingly, we presented a breeding strategy for the application of SHW-the 'large population with limited backcrossing method'-and we pyramided stripe rust resistance and big-spike-related QTLs/genes from SHW into new high-yield cultivars, which represents an important genetic basis of big-spike wheat in southwestern China. For further breeding applications of SHW-derived cultivars, we used the 'recombinant inbred line-based breeding method' that combines both phenotypic and genotypic evaluations to pyramid multi-spike and pre-harvest sprouting resistance QTLs/genes from other germplasms to SHW-derived cultivars; consequently, we created record-breaking high-yield wheat in southwestern China. To meet upcoming environmental challenges and continuous global demand for wheat production, SHW with broad genetic resources from wild donor species will play a major role in wheat breeding.

Wheat genomic study for genetic improvement of traits in China.

Bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is a major crop that feeds 40% of the world's population. Over the past several decades, advances in genomics have led to tremendous achievements in understanding the origin and domestication of wheat, and the genetic basis of agronomically important traits, which promote the breeding of elite varieties. In this review, we focus on progress that has been made in genomic research and genetic improvement of traits such as grain yield, end-use traits, flowering regulation, nutrient use efficiency, and biotic and abiotic stress responses, and various breeding strategies that contributed mainly by Chinese scientists. Functional genomic research in wheat is entering a new era with the availability of multiple reference wheat genome assemblies and the development of cutting-edge technologies such as precise genome editing tools, high-throughput phenotyping platforms, sequencing-based cloning strategies, high-efficiency genetic transformation systems, and speed-breeding facilities. These insights will further extend our understanding of the molecular mechanisms and regulatory networks underlying agronomic traits and facilitate the breeding process, ultimately contributing to more sustainable agriculture in China and throughout the world.

Pentaploidization Enriches the Genetic Diversity of Wheat by Enhancing the Recombination of AB Genomes.

Allohexaploidization and continuous introgression play a key role in the origin and evolution of bread wheat. The genetic bottleneck of bread wheat resulting from limited germplasms involved in the origin and modern breeding may be compensated by gene flow from tetraploid wheat through introgressive hybridization. The inter-ploidy hybridization between hexaploid and tetraploid wheat generates pentaploid hybrids first, which absorbed genetic variations both from hexaploid and tetraploid wheat and have great potential for re-evolution and improvement in bread wheat. Therefore, understanding the effects of the pentaploid hybrid is of apparent significance in our understanding of the historic introgression and in informing breeding. In the current study, two sets of F2 populations of synthetic pentaploid wheat (SPW1 and SPW2) and synthetic hexaploid wheat (SHW1 and SHW2) were created to analyze differences in recombination frequency (RF) of AB genomes and distorted segregation of polymorphic SNP markers through SNP genotyping. Results suggested that (1) the recombination of AB genomes in the SPW populations was about 3- to 4-fold higher than that in the SHW populations, resulting from the significantly (P < 0.01) increased RF between adjacent and linked SNP loci, especially the variations that occurred in a pericentromeric region which would further enrich genetic diversity; (2) the crosses of hexaploid × tetraploid wheat could be an efficient way to produce pentaploid derivatives than the crosses of tetraploid × hexaploid wheat according to the higher germination rate found in the former crosses; (3) the high proportion of distorted segregation loci that skewed in favor of the female parent genotype/allele in the SPW populations might associate with the fitness and survival of the offspring. Based on the presented data, we propose that pentaploid hybrids should increasingly be used in wheat breeding. In addition, the contribution of gene flow from tetraploid wheat to bread wheat mediated by pentaploid introgressive hybridization also was discussed in the re-evolution of bread wheat.

Genetic Diversity Assessment of the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center and Chinese Wheat Core Germplasms by Non-Denaturing Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization.

Germplasm is the material basis for crop genetic improvement and related basic research. Knowledge of genetic diversity present in wheat is the prerequisite for wheat breeding and improvement. Non-denaturing fluorescence in situ hybridization (ND-FISH) is a powerful tool to distinguish chromosomal polymorphisms and evaluate genetic diversity in wheat. In this study, ND-FISH using Oligo-pSc119.2-1, Oligo-pTa535-1, and Oligo-(GAA)7 as probes were used to analyze the genetic diversity among 60 International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) derived wheat lines, and 93 cultivated wheat and landraces from the Chinese wheat core germplasm. A total of 137 polymorphic FISH patterns were obtained, in which 41, 65, and 31 were from A-, B-, and D-genome chromosomes, respectively, indicating polymorphism of B-genome > A-genome > D-genome. In addition, 22 and 51 specific FISH types were observed in the two germplasm resource lines. Twelve types of rearrangements, including seven new translocations, were detected in all 153 wheat lines. Genetic relationships among 153 wheat lines were clustered into six groups. Our research provides cytological information for rational utilization of wheat germplasm resources.

Wheat glutamine synthetase TaGSr-4B is a candidate gene for a QTL of thousand grain weight on chromosome 4B.

KEY MESSAGE: Glutamine synthetase TaGSr-4B is a candidate gene for a QTL of thousand grain weight on 4B, and the gene marker is ready for wheat breeding. A QTL for thousand grain weight (TGW) in wheat was previously mapped on chromosome 4B in a DH population of Westonia × Kauz. For identifying the candidate genes of the QTL, wheat 90 K SNP array was used to saturate the existing linkage map, and four field trials plus one glasshouse experiment over five locations were conducted to refine the QTL. Three nitrogen levels were applied to two of those field trials, resulting in a TGW phenotype data set from nine environments. A robust TGW QTL cluster including 773 genes was detected in six environments with the highest LOD value of 13.4. Based on differentiate gene expression within the QTL cluster in an RNAseq data of Westonia and Kauz during grain filling, a glutamine synthesis gene (GS: TaGSr-4B) was selected as a potential candidate gene for the QTL. A SNP on the promoter region between Westonia and Kauz was used to develop a cleaved amplified polymorphic marker for TaGSr-4B gene mapping and QTL reanalysing. As results, TGW QTL appeared in seven environments, and in four out of seven environments, the TGW QTL were localized on the TaGSr-4B locus and showed significant contributions to the phenotype. Based on the marker, two allele groups of Westonia and Kauz formed showed significant differences on TGW in eight environments. In agreement with the roles of GS genes on nitrogen and carbon remobilizations, TaGSr-4B is likely the candidate gene of the TGW QTL on 4B and the TaGSr-4B gene marker is ready for wheat breeding.

Improvement and Re-Evolution of Tetraploid Wheat for Global Environmental Challenge and Diversity Consumption Demand.

Allotetraploid durum wheat is the second most widely cultivated wheat, following hexaploid bread wheat, and is one of the major protein and calorie sources of the human diet. However, durum wheat is encountered with a severe grain yield bottleneck due to the erosion of genetic diversity stemming from long-term domestication and especially modern breeding programs. The improvement of yield and grain quality of durum wheat is crucial when confronted with the increasing global population, changing climate environments, and the non-ignorable increasing incidence of wheat-related disorders. This review summarized the domestication and evolution process and discussed the durum wheat re-evolution attempts performed by global researchers using diploid einkorn, tetraploid emmer wheat, hexaploid wheat (particularly the D-subgenome), etc. In addition, the re-evolution of durum wheat would be promoted by the genetic enrichment process, which could diversify allelic combinations through enhancing chromosome recombination (pentaploid hybridization or pairing of homologous chromosomes gene Ph mutant line induced homoeologous recombination) and environmental adaptability via alien introgressive genes (wide cross or distant hybridization followed by embryo rescue), and modifying target genes or traits by molecular approaches, such as CRISPR/Cas9 or RNA interference (RNAi). A brief discussion of the future perspectives for exploring germplasm for the modern improvement and re-evolution of durum wheat is included.

Genetic dissection of quantitative trait loci for grain size and weight by high-resolution genetic mapping in bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.).

KEY MESSAGE: Six major QTLs for wheat grain size and weight were identified on chromosomes 4A, 4B, 5A and 6A across multiple environments, and were validated in different genetic backgrounds. Grain size and weight are crucial components of wheat yield. Dissection of their genetic control is thus essential for the improvement of yield potential in wheat breeding. We used a doubled haploid (DH) population to detect quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for grain width (GW), grain length (GL), and thousand grain weight (TGW) in five environments. Six major QTLs, QGw.cib-4B.2, QGl.cib-4A, QGl.cib-5A.1, QGl.cib-6A, QTgw.cib-4B, and QTgw.cib-5A, were consistently identified in at least three individual environments and in best linear unbiased prediction (BLUP) datasets, and explained 5.65-34.06% of phenotypic variation. QGw.cib-4B.2, QTgw.cib-4B, QGl.cib-5A.1 and QGl.cib-6A had no effect on grain number per spike (GNS). In addition to QGl.cib-4A, the other major QTLs were further validated by using Kompetitive Allele Specific PCR (KASP) markers in different genetic backgrounds. Moreover, significant interactions between the three major GL QTLs and two major TGW QTLs were observed. Comparison analysis showed that QGl.cib-5A.1 and QGl.cib-6A are likely new loci. Notably, QGw.cib-4B.2 and QTgw.cib-4B were co-located on chromosome 4B and improved TGW by increasing only GW, unlike nearby or overlapped loci reported previously. Three genes associated with grain development within the QGw.cib-4B.2/QTgw.cib-4B interval were identified by searches on sequence similarity, spatial expression patterns, and orthologs. The major QTLs and KASP markers reported here will be useful for elucidating the genetic architecture of grain size and weight and for developing new wheat cultivars with high and stable yield.

Characterization of the Durum Wheat-Aegilops tauschii 4D(4B) Disomic Substitution Line YL-443 With Superior Characteristics of High Yielding and Stripe Rust Resistance.

Durum wheat is one of the important food and cash crops. The main goals in current breeding programs are improving its low yield potential, kernel characteristics, and lack of resistance or tolerance to some biotic and abiotic stresses. In this study, a nascent synthesized hexaploid wheat Lanmai/AT23 is used as the female parent in crosses with its AB genome donor Lanmai. A tetraploid line YL-443 with supernumerary spikelets and high resistance to stripe rust was selected out from the pentaploid F7 progeny. Somatic analysis using multicolor fluorescence in situ hybridization (mc-FISH) revealed that this line is a disomic substitution line with the 4B chromosome pair of Lanmai replaced by the 4D chromosome pair of Aegilops tauschii AT23. Comparing with Lanmai, YL-443 shows an increase in the number of spikelets and florets per spike by 36.3 and 75.9%, respectively. The stripe rust resistance gene Yr28 carried on the 4D chromosome was fully expressed in the tetraploid background. The present 4D(4B) disomic substitution line YL-443 was distinguished from the previously reported 4D(4B) lines with the 4D chromosomes from Chinese Spring (CS). Our study demonstrated that YL-443 can be used as elite germplasm for durum wheat breeding targeting high yield potential and stripe rust resistance. The Yr28-specific PCR marker and the 4D chromosome-specific KASP markers together with its unique features of pubescent leaf sheath and auricles can be utilized for assisting selection in breeding.

Identification and validation of two major QTLs for spike compactness and length in bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) showing pleiotropic effects on yield-related traits.

KEY MESSAGE: Two major and stable QTLs for spike compactness and length were detected and validated in multiple genetic backgrounds and environments, and their pleiotropic effects on yield-related traits were analyzed. Spike compactness (SC) and length (SL) are greatly associated with wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) grain yield. To detect quantitative trait loci (QTL) associated with SC and SL, two biparental populations derived from crosses of Chuanmai42/Kechengmai1 and Chuanmai42/Chuannong16 were employed to perform QTL mapping in five environments. A total of 34 QTLs were identified, in which six major QTLs were repeatedly detected in more than four environments and the best linear unbiased prediction datasets, explaining 7.13-33.6% of phenotypic variation. These major QTLs were co-located in two genomic regions on chromosome 5A and 6A, namely QSc/Sl.cib-5A and QSc/Sl.cib-6A, respectively. By developing kompetitive allele-specific PCR (KASP) markers that linked to them, the two loci were validated in different genetic backgrounds, and their interactions were also analyzed. Comparison analysis showed that QSc/Sl.cib-5A was not Vrn-A1 and Q, and QSc/Sl.cib-6A was likely a new locus for SC and SL. Both QSc/Sl.cib-5A and QSc/Sl.cib-6A had pleiotropic effects on other yield-related traits including plant height, thousand grain weight and grain length. Therefore, the two loci combined with the developed KASP markers might be potentially applicable in wheat breeding. Furthermore, based on the spatiotemporal expression patterns, gene annotation, orthologous search and sequence differences, TraesCS5A01G301400 and TraesCS6A01G090300 were considered as potential candidates for QSc/Sl.cib-5A and QSc/Sl.cib-6A, respectively. These results provided valuable information for fine mapping and cloning of the two loci in the future.

Preferential Subgenome Elimination and Chromosomal Structural Changes Occurring in Newly Formed Tetraploid Wheat-Aegilops ventricosa Amphiploid (AABBDvDvNvNv).

Artificial allopolyploids derived from the genera Triticum and Aegilops have been used as genetic resources for wheat improvement and are a classic example of evolution via allopolyploidization. In this study, we investigated chromosomes and subgenome transmission behavior in the newly formed allopolyploid of wheat group via multicolor Fluorescence in situ hybridization (mc-FISH), using pSc119.2, pTa535, and (GAA)7 as probe combinations, to enabled us to precisely identify individual chromosomes in 381 S3 and S4 generations plants derived from reciprocal crosses between Ae. ventricosa (DvDvNvNv) and T. turgidum (AABB). A higher rate of aneuploidy, constituting 66.04-86.41% individuals, was observed in these two early generations. Of the four constituent subgenomes, Dv showed the highest frequency of elimination, followed by Nv and B, while A was the most stable. In addition, structural chromosomal changes occurred ubiquitously in the selfed progenies of allopolyploids. Among the constituent subgenomes, B showed the highest number of aberrations. In terms of chromosomal dynamics, there was no significant association between the chromosomal behavior model and the cytoplasm, with the exception of chromosomal loss in the Dv subgenome. The chromosome loss frequency in the Dv subgenome was significantly higher in the T. turgidum × Ae. ventricosa cross than in the Ae. ventricosa × T. turgidum cross. This result indicates that, although the D subgenome showed great instability, allopolyploids containing D subgenome could probably be maintained after a certain hybridization in which the D subgenome donor was used as the maternal parent at its onset stage. Our findings provide valuable information pertaining to the behavior patterns of subgenomes during allopolyploidization. Moreover, the allopolyploids developed here could be used as potential resources for the genetic improvement of wheat.

Mapping QTLs for enhancing early biomass derived from Aegilops tauschii in synthetic hexaploid wheat.

Strong early vigour plays a crucial role in wheat yield improvement by enhancing resource utilization efficiency. Synthetic hexaploid wheat (SHW) combines the elite genes of tetraploid wheat with Aegilops tauschii and has been widely used in wheat genetic improvement for its abundant genetic variation. The two SHWs Syn79 and Syn80 were derived from the crossing of the same tetraploid wheat DOY1 with two different Ae. tauschii accessions, AT333 and AT428, respectively. The Syn80 possessed better early vigour traits than Syn79, theretically caused by their D genome from Ae. tauschii. To dissect their genetic basis in a hexaploid background, 203 recombinant inbred lines (RILs) derived from the cross of Syn79 x Syn80 were developed to detect quantitative trait loci (QTL) for four early biomass related traits: plant height (PH), tiller number (TN), shoot fresh weight (SFW) and shoot dry weight (SDW) per plant, under five different environmental conditions. Determined from the data of SNP markers, two genome regions on 1DS and 7D were stably associated with the four early biomass related traits showing pleiotropic effects. Four stable QTLs QPh.saas-1DS, QTn.saas-1DS, QSfw.saas-1DS and QSdw.saas-1DS explaining 7.92, 15.34, 9.64 and 10.15% of the phenotypic variation, respectively, were clustered in the region of 1DS from AX-94812958 to AX-110910133. Meanwhile, QPh.saas-7D, QTn.saas-7D, QSfw.saas-7D and QSdw.saas-7D were flanked by AX-109917900 and AX-110605376 on 7D, explaining 16.12, 24.35, 15.25 and 13.37% of the phenotypic variation on average, respectively. Moreover, these genomic QTLs on 1DS and 7D enhancing biomass in the parent Syn80 were from Ae. tauschii AT428. These findings suggest that these two QTLs from Ae. tauschii can be expressed stably in a hexaploid background at the jointing stage and be used for wheat improvement.

Identification of QTLs for Stripe Rust Resistance in a Recombinant Inbred Line Population.

Stripe rust, caused by Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici (Pst), is one of the most devastating fungal diseases of wheat worldwide. It is essential to discover more sources of stripe rust resistance genes for wheat breeding programs. Specific locus amplified fragment sequencing (SLAF-seq) is a powerful tool for the construction of high-density genetic maps. In this study, a set of 200 recombinant inbred lines (RILs) derived from a cross between wheat cultivars Chuanmai 42 (CH42) and Chuanmai 55 (CH55) was used to construct a high-density genetic map and to identify quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for stripe rust resistance using SLAF-seq technology. A genetic map of 2828.51 cM, including 21 linkage groups, contained 6732 single nucleotide polymorphism markers (SNP). Resistance QTLs were identified on chromosomes 1B, 2A, and 7B; Qyr.saas-7B was derived from CH42, whereas Qyr.saas-1B and Qyr.saas-2A were from CH55. The physical location of Qyr.saas-1B, which explained 6.24-34.22% of the phenotypic variation, overlapped with the resistance gene Yr29. Qyr.saas-7B accounted for up to 20.64% of the phenotypic variation. Qyr.saas-2A, a minor QTL, was found to be a likely new stripe rust resistance locus. A significant additive effect was observed when all three QTLs were combined. The combined resistance genes could be of value in breeding wheat for stripe rust resistance.

A breeding strategy targeting the secondary gene pool of bread wheat: introgression from a synthetic hexaploid wheat.

KEY MESSAGE: Introgressing one-eighth of synthetic hexaploid wheat genome through a double top-cross plus a two-phase selection is an effective strategy to develop high-yielding wheat varieties. The continued expansion of the world population and the likely onset of climate change combine to form a major crop breeding challenge. Genetic advances in most crop species to date have largely relied on recombination and reassortment within a relatively narrow gene pool. Here, we demonstrate an efficient wheat breeding strategy for improving yield potentials by introgression of multiple genomic regions of de novo synthesized wheat. The method relies on an initial double top-cross (DTC), in which one parent is synthetic hexaploid wheat (SHW), followed by a two-phase selection procedure. A genotypic analysis of three varieties (Shumai 580, Shumai 969 and Shumai 830) released from this program showed that each harbors a unique set of genomic regions inherited from the SHW parent. The first two varieties were generated from very small populations, whereas the third used a more conventional scale of selection since one of bread wheat parents was a pre-breeding material. The three varieties had remarkably enhanced yield potential compared to those developed by conventional breeding. A widely accepted consensus among crop breeders holds that introducing unadapted germplasm, such as landraces, as parents into a breeding program is a risky proposition, since the size of the breeding population required to overcome linkage drag becomes too daunting. However, the success of the proposed DTC strategy has demonstrated that novel variation harbored by SHWs can be accessed in a straightforward, effective manner. The strategy is in principle generalizable to any allopolyploid crop species where the identity of the progenitor species is known.

Mapping stripe rust resistance gene YrZH22 in Chinese wheat cultivar Zhoumai 22 by bulked segregant RNA-Seq (BSR-Seq) and comparative genomics analyses.

KEY MESSAGE: A stripe rust resistance gene YrZH22 was mapped by combined BSR-Seq and comparative genomics analyses to a 5.92 centimorgan (cM) genetic interval spanning a 4 Mb physical genomic region on wheat chromosome 4BL1. Stripe rust, caused by Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici (PST), is one of the most destructive diseases of wheat and severely threatens wheat production worldwide. The widely grown Chinese wheat cultivar Zhoumai 22 is highly resistant to the current prevailing PST race CYR34 (V26). Genetic analysis of F5:6 and F6:7 recombinant inbred line (RIL) populations indicated that adult-plant stripe rust resistance in Zhoumai 22 is controlled by a single gene, temporarily designated YrZH22. By applying bulked segregant RNA-Seq (BSR-Seq), 7 SNP markers were developed and SNP mapping showed that YrZH22 is located between markers WGGB105 and WGGB112 on chromosome arm 4BL. The corresponding genomic regions of the Chinese Spring 4BL genome assembly and physical map of Aegilops tauschii 4DL were selected for comparative genomics analyses to develop nine new polymorphic markers that were used to construct a high-resolution genetic linkage map of YrZH22. YrZH22 was delimited in a 5.92 cM genetic interval between markers WGGB133 and WGGB146, corresponding to 4.1 Mb genomic interval in Chinese Spring 4BL and a 2.2 Mb orthologous genomic region in Ae. tauschii 4DL. The genetic linkage map of YrZH22 will be valuable for fine mapping and positional cloning of YrZH22, and can be used for marker-assisted selection in wheat breeding.

Characterization of Stripe Rust Resistance Genes in the Wheat Cultivar Chuanmai45.

The objective of this research was to characterize the high level of resistance to stripe that has been observed in the released wheat cultivar, Chuanmai45. A combination of classic genetic analysis, molecular and cytogenetic methods were used to characterize resistance in an F2 population derived from Chuanmai45 and the susceptible Chuanmai42. Inheritance of resistance was shown to be conferred by two genes in Chuanmai45. Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) was used along with segregation studies to show that one gene was located on a 1RS.1BL translocation. Molecular markers were employed to show that the other locus was located on chromosome 4B. The defeated gene, Yr24/26, on chromosome 1BL was present in the susceptible parent and lines that recombined this gene with the 1RS.1BL translocation were identified. The germplasm, loci, and associated markers identified in this study will be useful for application in breeding programs utilizing marker-assisted selection.