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ARS Home » Plains Area » Grand Forks, North Dakota » Grand Forks Human Nutrition Research Center » Dietary Prevention of Obesity-related Disease Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #264056
Title: Genotype × Environment interactions for mineral concentration in grain of organically grown spring wheat

Author
item MURPHY, KEVIN - Washington State University
item HOAGLAND, LORI - Purdue University
item Yan, Lin
item COLLEY, MICAELA - Organic Seed Alliance
item JONES, STEPHEN - Washington State University

Submitted to: Agronomy Journal
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/8/2011
Publication Date: 9/21/2011
Citation: Murphy, K.M., Hoagland, L.A., Yan, L., Colley, M., Jones, S.S. 2011. Genotype × Environment interactions for mineral concentration in grain of organically grown spring wheat. Agronomy Journal. 103:1734–1741.

Interpretive Summary: Genotype × environment interactions among multiple mineral nutrients are not well understood, particularly in the context of diverse and inherently variable organic farming systems. In the present study we investigated genotype × environment interactions for grain yield and mineral nutrient concentration in organically grown wheat and determined whether adaptation of grain mineral concentration is an adapted trait when grown in contrasting environments over time. We evaluated 18 spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivars on three organic farms in Washington State for seven minerals (calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, and zinc) and for grain yield in 2008-2009. Significant genotype × environment interactions were found for grain yield and for all minerals except iron. Broad-sense heritability estimates for mineral concentration ranged from 0.47 for iron to 0.79 for calcium. Significant genotype × year interactions were found for grain yield and for all minerals except iron, manganese and phosphorus, and genotype × environment x year interactions were found for grain yield and for all minerals except manganese. Grain yield was positively correlated with calcium, copper, iron and phosphorus and negatively correlated with manganese, suggesting that for most minerals tested there may not be a grain yield/mineral concentration trade-off. There was no clear association between grain and soil mineral concentrations for any mineral except manganese.

Technical Abstract: Genotype × environment (G×E) interactions among multiple mineral nutrients are not well understood, particularly in the context of diverse and inherently variable organic farming systems. The objectives of this study were to: 1) investigate G×E interactions for grain yield and mineral nutrient concentration in organically grown wheat; and, 2) determine whether adaptation of grain mineral concentration is a broadly or narrowly adapted trait when grown in contrasting environments over time. We evaluated 18 spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivars on three organic farms in Washington state for calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, and zinc concentrations, and for grain yield in 2008-2009. Significant G×E interactions were found for grain yield and all minerals except iron. Broad-sense heritability estimates for mineral concentration ranged from 0.47 for iron to 0.79 for calcium. Significant G×Year (Y) interactions were found for grain yield and all minerals except iron, manganese and phosphorus and G×E×Y interactions were found for grain yield and all minerals except manganese. Grain yield was positively correlated with calcium, copper, iron and phosphorus and negatively correlated with manganese, suggesting that for most minerals tested there may not be a grain yield/mineral concentration trade-off. No clear association was found between grain and soil mineral concentrations for any mineral except manganese.