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Reduced height (Rht) and photoperiod insensitivity (Ppd) allele associations with establishment and early growth of wheat in contrasting production systems

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Abstract

Near isogenic lines (NILs) varying for genes for reduced height (Rht) and photoperiod insensitivity (Ppd-D1a) in a cv. Mercia background (rht (tall), Rht-B1b, Rht-D1b, Rht-B1c, Rht8c + Ppd-D1a, Rht-D1c, Rht12) were compared at one field site but within contrasting (‘organic’ vs. ‘conventional’) rotational and agronomic contexts, in each of 3 years. In the final year, further NILs (rht (tall), Rht-B1b, Rht-D1b, Rht-B1c, Rht-B1b + Rht-D1b, Rht-D1b + Rht-B1c) in both Maris Huntsman and Maris Widgeon backgrounds were added together with 64 lines of a doubled haploid (DH) population [Savannah (Rht-D1b) × Renesansa (Rht-8c + Ppd-D1a)]. Assessments included laboratory tests of germination and coleoptile length, and various field measurements of crop growth between emergence and pre jointing [plant population, tillering, leaf length, ground cover (GC), interception of photosynthetically active radiation (PAR), crop dry matter (DM) and nitrogen accumulation (N), far red: red reflectance ratio (FR:R), crop height, and weed dry matter]. All of the dwarfing alleles except Rht12 in the Mercia background and Rht8c in the DHs were associated with reduced coleoptile length. Most of the dwarfing alleles (depending on background) reduced seed viability. Severe dwarfing alleles (Rht-B1c, Rht-D1c and Rht12) were routinely associated with fewer plant numbers and reduced early crop growth (GC, PAR, DM, N, FR:R), and in 1 year, increased weed DM. In the Mercia background and the DHs the semi-dwarfing allele Rht-D1b was also sometimes associated with reductions in early crop growth; no such negative effects were associated with the marker for Rht8c. When significant interactions between cropping system and genotype did occur it was because differences between lines were more exaggerated in the organic system than in the conventional system. Ppd-D1a was associated positively with plant numbers surviving the winter and early crop growth (GC, FR:R, DM, N, PAR, height), and was the most significant locus in a QTL analysis. We conclude that, within these environmental and system contexts, genes moderating development are likely to be more important in influencing early resource capture than using Rht8c as an alternative semi-dwarfing gene to Rht-D1b.

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Abbreviations

DH:

Doubled haploid

DM:

Dry matter

FR:R:

Far red: red reflectance ratio

GC:

Ground cover

GS:

Growth stage

N:

Nitrogen

NIL:

Near isogenic line

PAR:

Photosynthetically active radiation

PC:

Principal component

QTL:

Quantitative trait locus

REML:

Residual maximum likelihood

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Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful to the Felix Trust for providing a scholarship for M. Addisu, RJ Casebow and RE Kiff for technical support, and RH Ellis for providing advice on this manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Crops Research Unit, Department of Agriculture, The University of Reading, Earley Gate, P.O. Box 237, Reading, RG6 6AR, UK

    M. Addisu & M. J. Gooding

  2. Crop Genetics Department, John Innes Centre, Colney Lane, Norwich, Norfolk, NR4 7UH, UK

    J. W. Snape & J. R. Simmonds

Authors
  1. M. Addisu
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  2. J. W. Snape
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  3. J. R. Simmonds
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  4. M. J. Gooding
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Correspondence to M. J. Gooding.

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Addisu, M., Snape, J.W., Simmonds, J.R. et al. Reduced height (Rht) and photoperiod insensitivity (Ppd) allele associations with establishment and early growth of wheat in contrasting production systems. Euphytica 166, 249–267 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10681-008-9838-7

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