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ARS Home » Plains Area » Manhattan, Kansas » Center for Grain and Animal Health Research » Hard Winter Wheat Genetics Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #176828
Title: MOLECULAR MAPPING OF A QUANTITATIVE TRAIT LOCUS FOR ALUMINUM TOLERANCE IN WHEAT CULTIVAR ATLAS 66

Author
item MA, H - KSU - AGRONOMY
item Bai, Guihua
item ZHOU, L - KSU - AGRONOMY
item CARVER, B - OSU - PLANT & SOIL SCI

Submitted to: Journal of Theoretical and Applied Genetics
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/16/2005
Publication Date: 9/28/2005
Citation: Ma, H., Bai, G., Zhou, L., Carver, B. 2005. Molecular mapping of a quantitative trait locus for aluminum tolerance in wheat cultivar atlas 66. Journal of Theoretical and Applied Genetics. 112:51-57.

Interpretive Summary: Aluminum (Al) toxicity is one of the major limiting factors for wheat production in acid soils. Genetic improvement of Al tolerance is one of the most cost-effective solutions to improve wheat productivity. The objectives of the present study were to identify wheat genes for Al-tolerance and molecular markers linked to the genes for marker-assisted breeding. A mapping population of recombinant inbred lines was derived from the cross Atlas 66/Century. This population was tested for Al-tolerance by measuring root growth rate during Al treatment in hydroponics and root response to hematoxylin stain after Al treatment. Result indicated that one gene on the distal region of chromosome arm 4DL showed a major effect on enhancing Al tolerance. This major gene accounted for nearly 50% of the phenotypic variation for Al-tolerance. Molecular markers identified in this study have potential to be used for high-throughput, marker-assisted selection for Al tolerance in wheat breeding programs.

Technical Abstract: Genetic improvement of Aluminum (Al) tolerance is one of the most cost-effective solutions to improve wheat productivity in acidic soils. The objectives of the present study were to identify quantitative trait loci (QTL) for Al-tolerance and associated PCR-based markers for marker-assisted breeding in the cultivar Atlas 66. A population of recombinant inbred lines (RILs) from the cross Atlas 66/Century was screened for Al-tolerance by measuring root growth rate during Al treatment in hydroponics and root response to hematoxylin stain after Al treatment. After 797 pairs of SSR primers were screened for polymorphisms between the parents, 131 pairs were selected for bulked segregant analysis (BSA). A QTL analysis based on SSR markers revealed one QTL on the distal region of chromosome arm 4DL where a malate transporter gene was mapped. This major QTL accounted for nearly 50% of the phenotypic variation for Al-tolerance. SSR markers Xgdm125 and Xwmc331 were flanking markers for the QTL and have potential to be used for high-throughput, marker-assisted selection in wheat breeding programs.