Pleiotropic effects of the wheat domestication gene Q on yield and grain morphology

Transformation from q to Q during wheat domestication functioned outside the boundary of threshability to increase yield, grains m−2, grain weight and roundness, but to reduce grains per spike/spikelet. Mutation of the Q gene, well-known affecting wheat spike structure, represents a key domesticati...

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Main Authors: Xie, Quan, Li, Na, Yang, Yang, Lv, Yulong, Yao, Hongni, Wei, Rong, Sparkes, Debbie L., Ma, Zhengqiang
Format: Article
Published: Springer 2018
Online Access:https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/49281/
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author Xie, Quan
Li, Na
Yang, Yang
Lv, Yulong
Yao, Hongni
Wei, Rong
Sparkes, Debbie L.
Ma, Zhengqiang
author_facet Xie, Quan
Li, Na
Yang, Yang
Lv, Yulong
Yao, Hongni
Wei, Rong
Sparkes, Debbie L.
Ma, Zhengqiang
author_sort Xie, Quan
building Nottingham Research Data Repository
collection Online Access
description Transformation from q to Q during wheat domestication functioned outside the boundary of threshability to increase yield, grains m−2, grain weight and roundness, but to reduce grains per spike/spikelet. Mutation of the Q gene, well-known affecting wheat spike structure, represents a key domestication step in the formation of today’s free-threshing, economically important wheats. In a previous study, multiple yield components and spike characteristics were associated with the Q gene interval in the bread wheat ‘Forno’ × European spelt ‘Oberkulmer’ recombinant inbred line population. Here, we reported that this interval was also associated with grain yield, grains m−2, grain morphology, and spike dry weight at anthesis. To clarify the roles of Q in agronomic trait performance, a functional marker for the Q gene was developed. Analysis of allelic effects showed that the bread wheat Q allele conferred free-threshing habit, soft glumes, and short and compact spikes compared with q. In addition, the Q allele contributed to higher grain yield, more grains m−2, and higher thousand grain weight, whereas q contributed to more grains per spike/spikelet likely resulting from increased preanthesis spike growth. For grain morphology, the Q allele was associated with reduced ratio of grain length to height, indicating a rounder grain. These results are supported by analysis of four Q mutant lines in the Chinese Spring background. Therefore, the transition from q to Q during wheat domestication had profound effects on grain yield and grain shape evolution as well, being a consequence of pleiotropy.
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spelling nottingham-492812020-05-04T19:27:44Z https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/49281/ Pleiotropic effects of the wheat domestication gene Q on yield and grain morphology Xie, Quan Li, Na Yang, Yang Lv, Yulong Yao, Hongni Wei, Rong Sparkes, Debbie L. Ma, Zhengqiang Transformation from q to Q during wheat domestication functioned outside the boundary of threshability to increase yield, grains m−2, grain weight and roundness, but to reduce grains per spike/spikelet. Mutation of the Q gene, well-known affecting wheat spike structure, represents a key domestication step in the formation of today’s free-threshing, economically important wheats. In a previous study, multiple yield components and spike characteristics were associated with the Q gene interval in the bread wheat ‘Forno’ × European spelt ‘Oberkulmer’ recombinant inbred line population. Here, we reported that this interval was also associated with grain yield, grains m−2, grain morphology, and spike dry weight at anthesis. To clarify the roles of Q in agronomic trait performance, a functional marker for the Q gene was developed. Analysis of allelic effects showed that the bread wheat Q allele conferred free-threshing habit, soft glumes, and short and compact spikes compared with q. In addition, the Q allele contributed to higher grain yield, more grains m−2, and higher thousand grain weight, whereas q contributed to more grains per spike/spikelet likely resulting from increased preanthesis spike growth. For grain morphology, the Q allele was associated with reduced ratio of grain length to height, indicating a rounder grain. These results are supported by analysis of four Q mutant lines in the Chinese Spring background. Therefore, the transition from q to Q during wheat domestication had profound effects on grain yield and grain shape evolution as well, being a consequence of pleiotropy. Springer 2018-01-20 Article PeerReviewed Xie, Quan, Li, Na, Yang, Yang, Lv, Yulong, Yao, Hongni, Wei, Rong, Sparkes, Debbie L. and Ma, Zhengqiang (2018) Pleiotropic effects of the wheat domestication gene Q on yield and grain morphology. Planta . ISSN 0032-0935 https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00425-018-2847-4/fulltext.html doi:10.1007/s00425-018-2847-4 doi:10.1007/s00425-018-2847-4
spellingShingle Xie, Quan
Li, Na
Yang, Yang
Lv, Yulong
Yao, Hongni
Wei, Rong
Sparkes, Debbie L.
Ma, Zhengqiang
Pleiotropic effects of the wheat domestication gene Q on yield and grain morphology
title Pleiotropic effects of the wheat domestication gene Q on yield and grain morphology
title_full Pleiotropic effects of the wheat domestication gene Q on yield and grain morphology
title_fullStr Pleiotropic effects of the wheat domestication gene Q on yield and grain morphology
title_full_unstemmed Pleiotropic effects of the wheat domestication gene Q on yield and grain morphology
title_short Pleiotropic effects of the wheat domestication gene Q on yield and grain morphology
title_sort pleiotropic effects of the wheat domestication gene q on yield and grain morphology
url https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/49281/
https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/49281/
https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/49281/