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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Pullman, Washington » WHGQ » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #360412
Research Project: Wheat Quality, Functionality and Marketablility in the Western U.S.

Location: Wheat Health, Genetics, and Quality Research

Title: Identification of loci and molecular markers associated with super soft kernel texture in wheat

Author
item KUMAR, NEERAJ - Washington State University
item Kiszonas, Alecia
item IBBA, MARIA - Washington State University
item Morris, Craig

Submitted to: Journal of Cereal Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/24/2019
Publication Date: 5/8/2019
Citation: Kumar, N., Kiszonas, A., Ibba, M.I., Morris, C.F. 2019. Identification of loci and molecular markers associated with super soft kernel texture in wheat. Journal of Cereal Science. 87:286-291. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcs.2019.04.014.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcs.2019.04.014

Interpretive Summary: In this study, two QTLs located on chromosomes 4BS and 5AL were validated controlling super soft novel trait. Altogether 6 KASP and a SSR marker were associated with super soft traits with maximum phenotypic variation up to 28%. In addition, KASP markers targeting these loci were validated and could be used for QTL validation in different soft wheat populations segregating for kernel texture. These results also indicate that at least two major loci are controlling kernel texture in this population. In the present study, both these loci controlling variation for super soft kernel texture are associated independently, thus both the KASP markers can be used to pyramid the QTLs for kernel texture improvement using MAS. Overall, results of this study greatly improve the genetic control of kernel texture in wheat (T. aestivum L.) that especially could improve the understanding of super soft trait.

Technical Abstract: Identification of marker-trait associations is the pre-requisite for marker-assisted selection in plant breeding. The preferential application of wheat flour in various products is primarily driven by kernel texture (softness and hardness). Herein, a population of (n = 268) F6, recombinant inbred lines (RILs) was developed from a cross between the spring wheat cultivar Alpowa (normal soft) and a closely related uniquely ‘super soft’ line (BC2SS163). To identify molecular markers associated with super soft SKCS hardness Index (HI), three genomic regions harboring QTLs, which were identified earlier by Kumar et al., (2019) located on 1BS, 4BS, and 5AL were targeted. A set of 18 polymorphic markers including 16 Kompetitive allele specific PCR (KASP) KASP and two simple sequence repeat (SSR) were selected from the above three potential genomic regions and genotyped using RILs population along with their parental lines. Five significant QTLs were detected for kernel texture using composite interval mapping (CIM) including at least one major QTLs located on 4BS. Seven significant (P<0.05) molecular markers including six KASP and a SSR were identified explaining variation ranging 3.8-28.0% for super soft trait through single marker trait (SMA) analysis. Following both the analyses, two markers were identified explaining highest phenotypic variation (9.3% to 35.7%). In addition, the association between each marker locus was independently associated with kernel texture, thus both these loci can be pyramided in the wheat germplasm lines to develop super soft wheat lines for better end-use quality products.