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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Ithaca, New York » Robert W. Holley Center for Agriculture & Health » Plant, Soil and Nutrition Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #223012
Title: Morphological Genetic Diversity of Worldwide Barley and Mega-Targets of Selection

Author
item GUTIERREZ, LUCIA - IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY
item NASON, JOHN - IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY
item Jannink, Jean-Luc

Submitted to: Crop Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/7/2008
Publication Date: 3/17/2009
Citation: Gutierrez, L., Nason, J.D., Jannink, J. 2009. Morphological Genetic Diversity of Worldwide Barley and Mega-Targets of Selection. Crop Science. 49:483-497.

Interpretive Summary: Germplasm exchange is essential for advancing genetic gain in a breeding program. Two aspects of breeding programs are relevant for germplam exchange: the amount of genetic diversity within programs and the identification of breeding programs with similar breeding objectives and environments of selection (i.e., mega-targets of selection). The objective of this study was to quantify worldwide genotypic diversity of barley for morphological traits, and to use that information to aid in germplam exchange between breeding programs. We evaluated 20 morphological traits in 353 genotypes of barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) from 23 private and public breeding programs distributed worldwide. We found differences in diversity among breeding programs for seven traits. We developed a methodology to group breeding programs according to their germplasm performance and response to the environments. We used the methodology to group the 23 breeding programs of barley into sets that might benefit most from germplasm exchange. The identification of compatible breeding programs for germplasm exchange could be of significant relevance for improving genetic gains in breeding programs.

Technical Abstract: Germplasm exchange is essential for advancing genetic gain in a breeding program. Two aspects of breeding programs are relevant for germplam exchange: the amount of genetic diversity within programs and the identification of breeding programs with similar breeding objectives and environments of selection (i.e., mega-targets of selection). The objective of this study was to quantify worldwide genotypic diversity of barley for morphological traits, and to use that information to aid in germplam exchange between breeding programs. We evaluated 20 morphological traits in 353 genotypes of barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) from 23 private and public breeding programs distributed worldwide. We found significant amounts of genetic diversity for all traits, but differences in diversity among breeding programs for only seven traits. We identified breeding programs with high diversity (i.e., two-row Western Australia, Canada Saskatchewan, and Sweden), and low diversity (i.e., two-row Croatia spring, Germany, Busch Ag Res, and six-row Croatia winter, Idaho and Minnesota). We developed a methodology that produces groups of breeding programs with similar performance and response to the environments. We used the methodology to group the 23 breeding programs of barley into sets that might benefit most from germplasm exchange. The identification of compatible breeding programs for germplasm exchange could be of significant relevance for improving genetic gains in breeding programs.