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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Aberdeen, Idaho » Small Grains and Potato Germplasm Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #387834
Research Project: Improvement of Barley and Oat for Enhanced Productivity, Quality, and Stress Resistance

Location: Small Grains and Potato Germplasm Research

Title: The genetic architecture of milling quality in spring oat lines of the collaborative oat research enterprise

Author
item Esvelt Klos, Kathy
item YIMER, BELAYNEH - University Of Idaho
item HOWARTH, CATHERINE - Aberystwyth University
item MCMULLEN, MIKE - North Dakota State University
item SORRELLS, MARK - Cornell University
item TINKER, NICHOLAS - Agriculture And Agri-Food Canada
item YAN, WEIKAI - Agriculture And Agri-Food Canada
item BEATTIE, A - University Of Saskatchewan

Submitted to: Foods
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/13/2021
Publication Date: 10/16/2021
Citation: Esvelt Klos, K.L., Yimer, B.A., Howarth, C., McMullen, M., Sorrells, M.E., Tinker, N.A., Yan, W., Beattie, A.D. 2021. The genetic architecture of milling quality in spring oat lines of the collaborative oat research enterprise. Foods. 10(10). Article 2479. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods10102479.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/foods10102479

Interpretive Summary: Most oat grain destined for human consumption must possess the ability to pass through an industrial de-hulling process with minimal breakage and waste. Oat breeders seek to improve varieties for uniform grain size and a high groat to hull ratio. The purpose of this study was to identify genomic regions (quantitative trait loci) carrying genetic variation that contributes to the milling quality of oat. We evaluated 6 key milling traits in 13 environments representing environments that produce good quality milling oats. Fifty-seven quantitative trait loci influencing one or more of the milling quality related traits were identified. At least one corresponded to a previously reported locus influencing multiple traits. In addition, some of the quantitative trait loci influenced milling quality stability across environments without a negative effect on mean milling quality. This suggests the potential for developing oat varieties with improved milling quality characteristics that are stable under varying environmental conditions.

Technical Abstract: Most oat grain destined for human consumption must possess the ability to pass through an industrial de-hulling process with minimal breakage and waste. Uniform grain size and a high groat to hull ratio are desirable traits related to milling performance. The purpose of this study was to characterize the genetic architecture of traits related to milling quality by identifying quantitative trait loci (QTL) contributing to variation among a diverse collection of elite and foundational spring oat lines important to North American oat breeding programs. A total of 501 lines from the Collaborative Oat Research Enterprise (CORE) panel were evaluated for genome-wide association with six key milling traits. Traits were evaluated in 13 location years. Association for 36,315 markers was evaluated for trait means across and within location years, as well as trait variance across location years which was used to assess trait stability. Fifty-seven QTL influencing one or more of the milling quality related traits were identified, with 14 QTL mapped influencing mean and variance across location years. The most prominent QTL was Qkernel.CORE.4D, on chromosome 4D at approximately 212 cM, that influenced mean levels of all traits. QTL were identified that influenced trait variance but not mean, trait mean only, and both.