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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Pullman, Washington » WHGQ » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #335356
Title: Targeted and efficient transfer of multiple value-added genes into wheat varieties

Author
item KUMAR, NEERAJ - Washington State University
item RANDHAWA, HARPINDER - Agriculture And Agri-Food Canada
item HIGGINBOTHAM, RYAN - Washington State University
item Chen, Xianming
item MURRAY, TIMOTHY - Washington State University
item GILL, KULVINDER - Washington State University

Submitted to: Molecular Breeding
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/1/2017
Publication Date: 5/1/2017
Citation: Kumar, N., Randhawa, H.S., Higginbotham, R.W., Chen, X., Murray, T.D., Gill, K.S. 2017. Targeted and efficient transfer of multiple value-added genes into wheat varieties. Molecular Breeding. 37:68. doi:10.1007/s11032-017-0649-1.

Interpretive Summary: This study is to optimize an approach to transfer multiple value added genes to a wheat variety while maintaining and improving agronomic performance. Two alleles with mutations in the acetolactate synthase (ALS) gene located on wheat chromosomes 6B and 6D providing tolerance to imidazolinone (IMI) herbicide (‘Clearfield’ technology) were transferred to ‘Eltan’, a popular soft white common winter wheat cultivar in the US Pacific Northwest. Using a four-step marker-assisted background selection, 378 plants with imazamox tolerance were selected by screening 1,600 plants from a backcross between Eltan and the donor of IMI two-gene tolerance. DNA marker-based selection of these plants selected seven plants that were used to make a population of 1,400 plants by backcrossing again to Eltan. The selection cycle was repeated. Progeny of 17 selected plants were evaluated for various agronomic and quality traits and 12 plants that were increased for field-testing. Field evaluation of these 12 lines in over 58 location-year tests, along with evaluation in the greenhouse/growth chamber, led to the selection of one line (WA8143) carrying the two-gene IMI tolerance. WA8143 yielded at least 3% higher than ‘Eltan’. The line also showed a better disease resistance package and grain quality needed in a successful Pacific Northwest wheat variety and was subsequently released for cultivation under the name of ‘Curiosity CL+’.

Technical Abstract: With an objective to optimize an approach to transfer multiple value added genes to a wheat variety while maintaining and improving agronomic performance, two alleles with mutations in the acetolactate synthase (ALS) gene located on wheat chromosomes 6B and 6D providing tolerance to imidazolinone (IMI) herbicide (‘Clearfield®’ technology) were transferred to ‘Eltan’, a popular soft white common winter wheat cultivar in the Pacific Northwest (USA). Using a four-step marker-assisted background selection, screening of 1,600 BC1 plants for imazamox tolerance selected 378 plants. DNA marker-based selection of these plants selected seven that were used to make a population of 1,400 BC2 plants and the selection cycle was repeated. Progeny of 17 selected BC2F1 plants were evaluated for various agronomic and quality parameters to select 12 plants that were increased for field-testing. Field evaluation of these lines conducted over 58 location-years along with evaluation in the greenhouse/growth chamber, led to the selection of one line (WA8143) carrying two-gene Clearfield® technology that yielded > 3% higher than ‘Eltan’. WA8143 also showed a better disease resistance package and grain quality needed in a successful Pacific Northwest wheat variety and was subsequently released for cultivation under the name of ‘Curiosity CL+’.