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Allelic variation and geographic distribution of vernalization genes HvVRN1 and HvVRN2 in Chinese barley germplasm

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Abstract

Knowledge of the allelic variation and epistatic interaction of vernalization genes is crucial to understanding seasonal growth habit and adaptability of genetic resources in cultivated (Hordeum vulgare) and wild (Hodeum spontaneum) barley. In this research, 1398 Chinese barley accessions were characterized with molecular markers for vernalization genes HvVRN1 and HvVRN2. Different combinations of haplotypes at these two vernalization genes were present at different frequencies in wild barley, landraces and modern cultivars. All of the HvVRN1 haplotypes except HvVRN1-7 (V 1-7 ) and HvVRN1-Hs (V 1-Hs ) were identified in the Chinese barley collection chosen for this study. Haplotype V 1-8 occurred at the highest frequency in spring V 1 alleles, and V 1-1 , V 1-4 and V 1-8 had broad geographic distributions in China. Haplotypes V 1-2 and V 1-3 are restricted to modern cultivars as they were introduced from exotic germplasm. A total of 18 HvVRN1/HvVRN2 multilocus haplotypes were identified. Most of the HvVRN1/HvVRN2 haplotypes were present in materials from the Yellow-Huai River Valley and Middle-Lower Yangtze Valley ecological zones, birthplace of Chinese farming. The predominant combinations in landraces were V 1-8 /V 2 and v 1 /V 2 , but v 1 /v 2 made up the highest proportion of modern cultivars. Haplotypes V 1-5 /v 2 , V 1-10 /V 2 and V 1-9 /V 2 showed a correlation with region. Our results confirmed the presence or absence of conserved regulatory elements and the length of the first intron of HvVRN1 plays a determinant role in the vernalization requirement of barley. This study provides useful information for breeding and utilization of Chinese barley germplasm.

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Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful to Prof. Robert McIntosh, University of Sydney, for kindly reviewing the manuscript. This research was financially supported by the National Key Technology R&D Program of the Ministry of Science and Technology (2012BAD03B01-2 and 2013BAD01B05-2), National 863 Project (2012AA101105), China Agriculture Research System (CARS-05) and the Agricultural Science and Technology Innovation Program.

Author contribution statement

DD performed the analysis of HvVRN1 and HvVRN2 haplotypes. GD, LZ, DX and ZS prepared the materials and performed DNA extraction. NT, XY and JZ phenotyped materials grown in the field and greenhouse. JZ and GG designed the experiment and prepared the manuscript. All authors have read and approved the final manuscript. Chinese barley germplasms are available for researchers and non-profit breeders by request from the National Genebank of China (http://www.cgris.net/) based on material transfer agreements.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Crop Germplasm Resources and Utilization (MOA), The National Key Facility for Crop Gene Resources and Genetic Improvement, Institute of Crop Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100081, China

    Dawa Dondup, Dongdong Xu, Lisha Zhang, Sang Zha, Xingmiao Yuan, Jing Zhang & Ganggang Guo

  2. Tibet Academy of Agricultural and Animal Sciences, Lhasa, 850032, Tibet, China

    Dawa Dondup & Nyima Tashi

  3. School of Biology and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Wuhan Polytechnic University, Wuhan, 430023, China

    Guoqing Dong & Lisha Zhang

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  1. Dawa Dondup
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  2. Guoqing Dong
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  4. Lisha Zhang
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  5. Sang Zha
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  8. Jing Zhang
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  9. Ganggang Guo
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Correspondence to Jing Zhang or Ganggang Guo.

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Figure S1

Identification of HvVRN1 and HvVRN2 alleles. Full-length Hvvrn1 (v 1 ) and V 1-6 were identified with one codominant marker. Primer pair 0.5F/R generated 1,023 bp (v 1 ) and 537 bp (V 1-6 ) products respectively. M. DL2000 DNA ladder; 1. ZDM01100 (v 1 /V 2 ); 2. ZDM09992 (v 1 /v 2 ); 3. ZDM01395 (V 1-1 /v 2 ); 4. ZDM10061 (V 1-2 /v 2 ); 5. ZDM10019 (V 1-3 /v 2 ); 6. ZDM00122 (V 1-4 /v 2 ); 7. ZDM01201 (V 1-5 /v 2 ); 8. ZDM00048 (V 1-6 /V 2 ); 9. ZDM01716 (V 1-8 /V 2 ); 10. ZDM08860 (V 1-9 /V 2 ); 11. ZDM03589 (V 1-10 /V 2 ). Supplementary material 1 (JPEG 1600 kb)

Table S1

Materials chosen for this study. +: Phenotyped by spring sown and in green house; S: spring SGH; W: winter SGH; F:facultative SGH. Supplementary material 2 (XLSX 97 kb)

Supplementary material 3 (DOC 53 kb)

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Dondup, D., Dong, G., Xu, D. et al. Allelic variation and geographic distribution of vernalization genes HvVRN1 and HvVRN2 in Chinese barley germplasm. Mol Breeding 36, 11 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11032-016-0434-6

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