Genetic architecture of quantitative trait loci (QTL) for FHB resistance and agronomic traits in a hard winter wheat population

Authors: XU, YUZHOU - Kansas State University; LI, YAOGUANG - Kansas State University; BIAN, ROULIN - Kansas State University; FRITZ, ALLAN - Kansas State University; ZHANG, GUORONG - Kansas State University; DONG, YANHONG - University Of Minnesota; ZHAO, LANFEI - Kansas State University; XU, YUNFENG - Kansas State University; GHORI, NIDA - Kansas State University; Bernardo, Amy; St Amand, Paul; SHOUP-RUPP, JESSICA - Kansas State University; BRUCE, MYRON - Kansas State University; WANG, WEI - Kansas State University; AKHUNOV, EDUARD - Kansas State University; CARVER, BRETT - Oklahoma State University; Bai, Guihua

Submitted to: The Crop Journal
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/17/2023
Publication Date: 10/7/2023
Citation: Xu, Y., Li, Y., Bian, R., Fritz, A., Zhang, G., Dong, Y., Zhao, L., Xu, Y., Ghori, N., Bernardo, A.E., St Amand, P.C., Shoup-Rupp, J.L., Bruce, M., Wang, W., Akhunov, E., Carver, B., Bai, G. 2023. Genetic architecture of quantitative trait loci (QTL) for FHB resistance and agronomic traits in a hard winter wheat population. The Crop Journal. 11:1836-1845. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cj.2023.09.004.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cj.2023.09.004

Interpretive Summary: Wheat resistance to Fusarium head blight (FHB) has often been associated with some undesirable agronomic traits. we conducted QTL analysis of both FHB resistance and yield traits using a winter wheat population G97252W x G97380A and identified one major QTL on chromosome 2DS for FHB resistance. This QTL overlaps with the major QTL for plant height, heading date, spike and grain traits components. QTL were also found on chromosome arms 2AL, 2DS, 3AL and 4BS for spike and grain traits. G97252W contributed FHB resistance and high spikelet number alleles at QFhb.hwwg-2DS, as well as high kernel number alleles at the QTL on 2AL and 2DS QTL, and high TGW and grain size alleles at 3AL QTL, whereas G97380A contributed high TGW and grain size alleles at the 2AL and 2DS, respectively, and the high KNS allele at the 4BS QTL. Combining QFhb.hwwg-2DS with positive alleles for yield traits from other QTL may simultaneously improve FHB resistance and grain yield.

Technical Abstract: Wheat resistance to Fusarium head blight (FHB) has often been associated with some undesirable agronomic traits. To study the relationship between wheat FHB resistance and developmental and yield traits, we constructed a linkage map of single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers using an F6:8 population from G97252W x G97380A. The two hard winter wheat parents showed contrasting FHB resistance, plant height (HT), heading date (HD), spike length (SL), spike compactness (SC), kernel number per spike (KNS), spikelet number per spike (SNS), thousand-grain weight (TGW) and grain size (length and diameter). Quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping using the SNP map identified one major QTL (QFhb.hwwg-2DS) on chromosome arm 2DS for the percentage of symptomatic spikelets (PSS) in the spike, deoxynivalenol (DON) content and percent Fusarium damaged kernel (FDK). This QTL explained up to 71.8% of the phenotypic variation for three FHB related traits and overlapped with the major QTL for HT, HD, SL, KNS, SNS, TGW, and grain size. QTL on chromosome arms 2AL, 2DS, 3AL and 4BS were identified for spike and grain traits. G97252W contributed FHB resistance and high SNS alleles at QFhb.hwwg-2DS, as well as high KNS alleles at the QTL on 2AL and 2DS, and high TGW and grain size alleles at QTL on 3AL, whereas G97380A contributed high TGW and grain size alleles at the QTL on 2AL and 2DS, respectively, and the high KNS allele at the 4BS QTL. Combining QFhb.hwwg-2DS with positive alleles for spike and grain traits from other chromosomes may simultaneously improve FHB resistance and grain yield in new cultivars