Phenotypic Evaluation and Genetic Analysis of Seedling Emergence in a Global Collection of Wheat Genotypes (Triticum aestivum L.) Under Limited Water Availability

The challenge in establishing an early-sown wheat crop in southern Australia is the need for consistently high seedling emergence when sowing deep in subsoil moisture (>10 cm) or into dry top-soil (4 cm). However, the latter is strongly reliant on a minimum soil water availability to ensure succe...

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Main Authors: Francki, M.G., Stainer, G.S., Walker, E., Rebetzke, G.J., Stefanova, Katia, French, R.J.
Format: Journal Article
Published: 2021
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/87526
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author Francki, M.G.
Stainer, G.S.
Walker, E.
Rebetzke, G.J.
Stefanova, Katia
French, R.J.
author_facet Francki, M.G.
Stainer, G.S.
Walker, E.
Rebetzke, G.J.
Stefanova, Katia
French, R.J.
author_sort Francki, M.G.
building Curtin Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description The challenge in establishing an early-sown wheat crop in southern Australia is the need for consistently high seedling emergence when sowing deep in subsoil moisture (>10 cm) or into dry top-soil (4 cm). However, the latter is strongly reliant on a minimum soil water availability to ensure successful seedling emergence. This study aimed to: (1) evaluate 233 Australian and selected international wheat genotypes for consistently high seedling emergence under limited soil water availability when sown in 4 cm of top-soil in field and glasshouse (GH) studies; (2) ascertain genetic loci associated with phenotypic variation using a genome-wide association study (GWAS); and (3) compare across loci for traits controlling coleoptile characteristics, germination, dormancy, and pre-harvest sprouting. Despite significant (P < 0.001) environment and genotype-by-environment interactions within and between field and GH experiments, eight genotypes that included five cultivars, two landraces, and one inbred line had consistently high seedling emergence (mean value > 85%) across nine environments. Moreover, 21 environment-specific quantitative trait loci (QTL) were detected in GWAS analysis on chromosomes 1B, 1D, 2B, 3A, 3B, 4A, 4B, 5B, 5D, and 7D, indicating complex genetic inheritance controlling seedling emergence. We aligned QTL for known traits and individual genes onto the reference genome of wheat and identified 16 QTL for seedling emergence in linkage disequilibrium with coleoptile length, width, and cross-sectional area, pre-harvest sprouting and dormancy, germination, seed longevity, and anthocyanin development. Therefore, it appears that seedling emergence is controlled by multifaceted networks of interrelated genes and traits regulated by different environmental cues.
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spelling curtin-20.500.11937-875262022-02-14T03:18:10Z Phenotypic Evaluation and Genetic Analysis of Seedling Emergence in a Global Collection of Wheat Genotypes (Triticum aestivum L.) Under Limited Water Availability Francki, M.G. Stainer, G.S. Walker, E. Rebetzke, G.J. Stefanova, Katia French, R.J. The challenge in establishing an early-sown wheat crop in southern Australia is the need for consistently high seedling emergence when sowing deep in subsoil moisture (>10 cm) or into dry top-soil (4 cm). However, the latter is strongly reliant on a minimum soil water availability to ensure successful seedling emergence. This study aimed to: (1) evaluate 233 Australian and selected international wheat genotypes for consistently high seedling emergence under limited soil water availability when sown in 4 cm of top-soil in field and glasshouse (GH) studies; (2) ascertain genetic loci associated with phenotypic variation using a genome-wide association study (GWAS); and (3) compare across loci for traits controlling coleoptile characteristics, germination, dormancy, and pre-harvest sprouting. Despite significant (P < 0.001) environment and genotype-by-environment interactions within and between field and GH experiments, eight genotypes that included five cultivars, two landraces, and one inbred line had consistently high seedling emergence (mean value > 85%) across nine environments. Moreover, 21 environment-specific quantitative trait loci (QTL) were detected in GWAS analysis on chromosomes 1B, 1D, 2B, 3A, 3B, 4A, 4B, 5B, 5D, and 7D, indicating complex genetic inheritance controlling seedling emergence. We aligned QTL for known traits and individual genes onto the reference genome of wheat and identified 16 QTL for seedling emergence in linkage disequilibrium with coleoptile length, width, and cross-sectional area, pre-harvest sprouting and dormancy, germination, seed longevity, and anthocyanin development. Therefore, it appears that seedling emergence is controlled by multifaceted networks of interrelated genes and traits regulated by different environmental cues. 2021 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/87526 10.3389/fpls.2021.796176 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ fulltext
spellingShingle Francki, M.G.
Stainer, G.S.
Walker, E.
Rebetzke, G.J.
Stefanova, Katia
French, R.J.
Phenotypic Evaluation and Genetic Analysis of Seedling Emergence in a Global Collection of Wheat Genotypes (Triticum aestivum L.) Under Limited Water Availability
title Phenotypic Evaluation and Genetic Analysis of Seedling Emergence in a Global Collection of Wheat Genotypes (Triticum aestivum L.) Under Limited Water Availability
title_full Phenotypic Evaluation and Genetic Analysis of Seedling Emergence in a Global Collection of Wheat Genotypes (Triticum aestivum L.) Under Limited Water Availability
title_fullStr Phenotypic Evaluation and Genetic Analysis of Seedling Emergence in a Global Collection of Wheat Genotypes (Triticum aestivum L.) Under Limited Water Availability
title_full_unstemmed Phenotypic Evaluation and Genetic Analysis of Seedling Emergence in a Global Collection of Wheat Genotypes (Triticum aestivum L.) Under Limited Water Availability
title_short Phenotypic Evaluation and Genetic Analysis of Seedling Emergence in a Global Collection of Wheat Genotypes (Triticum aestivum L.) Under Limited Water Availability
title_sort phenotypic evaluation and genetic analysis of seedling emergence in a global collection of wheat genotypes (triticum aestivum l.) under limited water availability
url http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/87526