ARS | Publication request: Genetic mapping analysis of bread-making quality traits in spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

Submitted to: Crop Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: May 11, 2012
Publication Date: August 1, 2012
Citation: Simmons, K., Anderson, J.A., Mergoum, M., Faris, J.D., Klindworth, D.L., Xu, S.S., Sneller, C., Ohm, J., Hareland, G.A., Edwards, M.C., Chao, S. 2012. Genetic mapping analysis of bread-making quality traits in spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). Crop Science. 52:2182-2197.

Interpretive Summary: The end-use quality is one of the most important traits the hard red spring wheat breeders evaluate before releasing new varieties. Because the quality trait tests are time and resource consuming, and many quality traits are not evaluated until late in cultivar development, the identification of DNA markers associated with these traits would aid in selecting lines with better quality traits during the early stages of cultivar development. The objective of this study was to assess the genetic architecture of bread-making quality traits in spring wheat. Twenty quality traits were evaluated, including six kernel characteristics, seven milling and flour traits, four dough mixing strength, and three bread-making parameters. The genetic materials used in this work involving a North Dakota hard red spring wheat cultivar, Grandin. A total of 31 chromosomal regions containing genes affecting these traits was identified. The results provided a better knowledge on the inheritance of the quality traits in spring wheat adapted to the Northern Plains regions. The results also cautioned the wide use of the marker information in breeding applications, before confirming that these genes are consistently expressed in different spring wheat backgrounds grown in the field conditions similar to what were used in this study.

Technical Abstract: In this study we assess the genetic architecture of bread-making quality traits in spring wheat. A mapping population derived from BR34 and Grandin, a soft x hard cross, was used to measure 20 end-use quality traits including six kernel characteristics, seven milling and flour traits, four dough mixing strength parameters, and three bread-making traits. Composite interval mapping analysis identified a total of 31 QTL significantly associated with all but two traits investigated. These QTL were found clustered in five chromosomal regions, namely 1BS, 1DL, 4BL, 5BL and 6AS, and explained a large proportion of trait variation with favorable alleles contributed by both parents. The 1DL cluster containing the high-molecular weight glutenin gene, Glu-D1, had a large genetic influence on dough mixing strength and bread-making performance. Most of the QTL affecting kernel characteristics were clustered on 6AS. Inconsistency of QTL locations detected from different environments was observed for the flour and milling traits and was likely due to G x E effects. Despite high heritabilities estimated for the 20 quality traits evaluated, no QTL were detected for flour brightness and bake mixing water absorption, suggesting that these traits may be controlled by QTL with small effects that could not be detected due to the small population size. Because of the complex inheritance of these traits, it will be necessary to validate these QTL in different spring wheat backgrounds that are evaluated in similar growth conditions as used in this study, before the marker information can be used for breeding applications.