Abstract
Key message
A major and stable QTL for fertile spikelet number per spike and grain number per fertile spikelet identified in a 4.96-Mb interval on chromosome 2A was validated in different genetic backgrounds.
Abstract
Fertile spikelet number per spike (FSN) and grain number per fertile spikelet (GNFS) contribute greatly to wheat yield improvement. To detect quantitative trait loci (QTL) associated with FSN and GNFS, we used a recombinant inbred line population crossed by Zhongkemai 13F10 and Chuanmai 42 in eight environments. Two Genomic regions associated with FSN were detected on chromosomes 2A and 6A using bulked segregant exome sequencing analysis. After the genetic linkage maps were constructed, four QTL QFsn.cib-2A, QFsn.cib-6A, QGnfs.cib-2A and QGnfs.cib-6A were identified in three or more environments. Among them, two major QTL QFsn.cib-2A (LOD = 4.67–9.34, PVE = 6.66–13.05%) and QGnfs.cib-2A (LOD = 5.27–11.68, PVE = 7.95–16.71%) were detected in seven and six environments, respectively. They were co-located in the same region, namely QFsn/Gnfs.cib-2A. The developed linked Kompetitive Allele Specific PCR (KASP) markers further validated this QTL in a different genetic background. QFsn/Gnfs.cib-2A showed pleiotropic effects on grain number per spike (GNS) and spike compactness (SC), and had no effect on grain weight. Since QFsn/Gnfs.cib-2A might be a new locus, it and the developed KASP markers can be used in wheat breeding. According to haplotype analysis, QFsn/Gnfs.cib-2A was identified as a target of artificial selection during wheat improvement. Based on haplotype analysis, sequence differences, spatiotemporal expression patterns, and gene annotation, the potential candidate genes for QFsn/Gnfs.cib-2A were predicted. These results provide valuable information for fine mapping and cloning gene(s) underlying QFsn/Gnfs.cib-2A.
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All data and materials described in this paper are available from the corresponding author upon request. The datasets retrieved and analyzed during the current study are available in the Triticeae Multi-omics Center (http://202.194.139.32).
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Acknowledgements
We thank the Triticeae Multi-omics Center (http://202.194.139.32/) for providing an integrated platform of tools and genomic data bringing convenience to our work; Wheat-SnpHub-Portal (http://wheat.cau.edu.cn/Wheat_SnpHub_Portal/) for providing the genomic variation datasets of wheat, and Bioacme Biotechnology Co., Ltd. (Wuhan, China, http://www.whbioacme.com) for the BSE-Seq analysis.
Funding
This work is supported by the Strategic Priority Research Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (Precision Seed Design and Breeding, XDA24030402), the CAS “Light of West China” (2023XBZG_XBQNXZ_A), and the Sichuan Science and Technology Program (2022ZDZX0014).
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CJ carried out the field trials and subsequent analysis of the data and wrote the draft manuscript. ZBX constructed the mapping population. XLF, and QZ assisted in field trials. GSJ, LEC, QY, and SML participated in phenotyping. TW and YZ guided the entire study and discussed results. BF designed the experiments, participated in data analysis, discussed results, and revised the manuscript.
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Communicated by David D Fang.
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Jiang, C., Xu, Z., Fan, X. et al. Identification and validation of quantitative trait loci for fertile spikelet number per spike and grain number per fertile spikelet in bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). Theor Appl Genet 136, 69 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00122-023-04297-y
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00122-023-04297-y