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Genotypic variation and covariation in wheat seedling seminal root architecture and grain yield under field conditions

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Greater embryo size in a large and carefully phenotyped mapping population was genetically associated with a greater number of longer seminal roots to increase grain yield in droughted field environments.

Abstract

Breeding modification of root architecture is challenging in field environments owing to genetic and phenotypic complexity, and poor repeatability with root sampling. Seeds from a large mapping population varying in embryo size were harvested from a common glasshouse and standardised to a common size before assessing in rolled germination paper at 12 and 20 °C for seedling growth. Differences in genotype means were large and heritabilities high (h2 = 0.55–0.93) indicating strong and repeatable genotypic differences for most root traits. Seminal roots 1 to 3 were produced on all seedlings, whereas growth of seminal roots 4, 5 and 6 was associated with differences in embryo size. Increases in seminal root number from 4 to 6 per plant were strongly, genetically correlated with increases in total seminal length (rg = 0.84, < 0.01). Multivariate analysis confirmed initiation and growth of seminal roots 1, 2 and 3, and of roots 4, 5 and 6 behaved as genetically independent (rPg = 0.15 ns) cohorts. Tails representing extremes in seedling root length and number were associated with significant differences in grain yield of up to 35% in droughted field environments but were not different in irrigated environments. Increases in grain yield were linked to greater lengths of seminal roots 4, 5 and 6 and were largely independent of plant height or development. This is the first report on the genetic relationship of seedling root architecture and embryo size, and potential in selection of seminal root size for accessing deep-soil moisture in droughted environments.

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Data availability statement

Data will be made available upon request to the corresponding author.

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Acknowledgements

We would like to thank Drs Michelle Watt and Anton Wasson for an early discussion on use of the seedling roll method, and Dr Wolfgang Spielmeyer for providing the seed for the Chuan Mai-18 × Vig18 population. We would also like to thank Dr John Kirkegaard and Pieter Hendriks for thoughtful comments in drafting of this manuscript. We also thank the China Scholarship Council (CSC) for support of Dr Hong Zhang through a CSC scholarship.

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The authors have no relevant financial or non-financial interests to disclose.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. CSIRO Agriculture and Food, PO Box 1700, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia

    G. J. Rebetzke & A. G. Condon

  2. State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, College of Agronomy, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, Shaanxi, China

    H. Zhang

  3. Australian Grain Technologies, PO Box 341, Roseworthy, SA, 5371, Australia

    C. H. Ingvordsen

  4. CSIRO Agriculture and Food, 147 Underwood Av, Floreat, WA, 6014, Australia

    S. M. Rich

  5. Formerly CSIRO, Now 8 Avenue Piaton, Villeurbanne, France

    M. H. Ellis

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  1. G. J. Rebetzke
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Contributions

GJR designed, analysed and led the writing of the initial draft of the paper. HZ designed and undertook some of the experiments. CI contributed to the writing of the paper. TC designed, analysed and contributed to the writing of the paper. SR contributed to the writing of the paper. ME designed and undertook some of the experiments.

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Rebetzke, G.J., Zhang, H., Ingvordsen, C.H. et al. Genotypic variation and covariation in wheat seedling seminal root architecture and grain yield under field conditions. Theor Appl Genet 135, 3247–3264 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00122-022-04183-z

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