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A unified framework for hybrid breeding and the establishment of heterotic groups in wheat

Theoretical and Applied Genetics volume 129, pages 1231–1245 (2016)Cite this article

Abstract

Key message

Global wheat genetic diversity can be used in a unified framework to support and accelerate hybrid breeding and the development of heterotic groups in wheat.

Abstract

Hybrid wheat breeding has great potential to increase the global wheat grain yield level particularly in view of the increasing abiotic and biotic stress challenges as well as variable climatic conditions. For the long-term success of hybrid wheat breeding and the maximum exploitation of heterosis, high-yielding heterotic patterns must be established. Here, we propose a unified framework for hybrid breeding and the establishment of heterotic groups in autogamous crops and exemplify it for hybrid wheat breeding in Germany. A key component is the establishment of genetic distance between heterotic groups and in this context, we assessed genetic diversity in a global collection of 1110 winter wheat varieties released during the past decades in 35 countries but with a focus on European origin. Our analyses revealed the absence of major population structure but nevertheless suggest genetically distinct subgroups with potential for hybrid wheat breeding. Taking our molecular results and additional phenotypic data together, we propose how global genetic diversity can be used to accelerate and support reciprocal recurrent selection for the development of genetically distinct heterotic groups in hybrid wheat breeding.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank Simon M. Langer and Christiane Maus for collecting phenotypic data. We thank three anonymous reviewers for their helpful comments. This work was partially funded by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft under grant number WU 658/1-1 and by BMEL within the “ZUCHTWERT” project (Grant ID: 2814604113).

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  1. State Plant Breeding Institute, University of Hohenheim, 70593, Stuttgart, Germany

    Philipp H. G. Boeven, C. Friedrich H. Longin & Tobias Würschum

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Correspondence to Tobias Würschum.

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Boeven, P.H.G., Longin, C.F.H. & Würschum, T. A unified framework for hybrid breeding and the establishment of heterotic groups in wheat. Theor Appl Genet 129, 1231–1245 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00122-016-2699-x

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Keywords

  • General Combine Ability
  • Polymorphic Information Content
  • Heterotic Group
  • Hybrid Breeding
  • Great Britain