Application of Synthetic Hexaploid Wheat Derived from T.Durum, Ae.taushii in Common Wheat Breeding for FHB Resistance

The F 1 and F 4 plants of 'synthetic hexaploid wheat/common wheat'crosses and part of their parents were inoculated with Fusarium graminearum to evaluate FHB resistance.The results showed tht the scab resistance in the F 1 varied with the synthetic wheat accessions used as crossing parents.In the F 4,some resistant head lines were generated from the crosses,although their parents had different scab resistance levels.It indicated that synthetic hexaploid wheat are useful in wheat breeding for scab resistance.

Ning Yuhua:An Expert on Wheat Breeding

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Breeding design in wheat by combining the QTL information in a GWAS panel with a general genetic map and computer simulation

A large amount of genome-wide association study(GWAS)panels together with quantitative-trait locus(QTL)information associated with breeding-targeted traits have been described in wheat(Triticum aestivum L.).However,the application of mapping results from a GWAS panel to conventional wheat breeding remains a challenge.In this study,we first report a general genetic map which was constructed from 44 published linkage maps.It permits the estimation of genetic distances between any two genetic loci with physical map positions,thereby unifying the linkage relationships between QTL,genes,and genomic markers from multiple genetic populations.Second,we describe QTL mapping in a wheat GWAS panel of 688 accessions,identifying 77 QTL associated with 12 yield and grain-quality traits.Because these QTL have known physical map positions,they could be mapped onto the general map.Finally,we present a design approach to wheat breeding by using known QTL information and computer simulation.Potential crosses between parents in the GWAS panel may be evaluated by the relative frequency of the target genotype,trait correlations in simulated progeny populations,and genetic gain of selected progenies.It is possible to simultaneously improve yield and grain quality by suitable parental selection,progeny population size,and progeny selection scheme.Applying the design approach will allow identifying the most promising crosses and selection schemes in advance of the field experiment,increasing predictability and efficiency in wheat breeding.

Resequencing of 145 Landmark Cultivars Reveals Asymmetric Sub-genome Selection and Strong Founder Genotype Effects on Wheat Breeding in China

Controlled pedigrees and the multi-decade timescale of national crop plant breeding programs offer a unique experimental context for examining how selection affects plant genomes.More than 3000 wheat cultivars have been registered,released,and documented since 1949 in China.In this study,a set of 145 elite cultivars selected from historical points of wheat breeding in China were re-sequenced.A total of 43.75 Tb of sequence data were generated with an average read depth of 17.94x for each cultivar,and more than 60.92 million SNPs and 2.54 million InDels were captured,based on the Chinese Spring RefSeq genome v1.0.Seventy years of breeder-driven selection led to dramatic changes in grain yield and related phenotypes,with distinct genomic regions and phenotypes tar-geted by different breeders across the decades.There are very clear instances illustrating how introduced Italian and otherforeign germplasm was integrated into Chinese wheat programs and reshaped the genomic landscape of local modern cultivars.Importantly,the resequencing data also highlighted significant asymmetric breeding selec-tion among the three sub-genomes:this was evident in both the collinear blocks for homeologous chromosomes and among sets of three homeologous genes.Accumulation of more newly assembled genes in newer cultivars implied the potential value of these genes in breeding.Conserved and extended sharing of linkage disequilibrium(LD)blocks was highlighted among pedigree-related cultivars,in which fewer haplotype differences were detected.Fixation or replacement of haplotypes from founder genotypes after generations of breeding was related to their breeding value.Based on the haplotype frequency changes in LD blocks of pedigree-related cultivars,we propose a strategy for evaluating the breeding value of any given line on the basis of the accumulation(pyramiding)of bene-ficial haplotypes.Collectively,our study demonstrates the influence of "founder genotypes" on the output of breeding efforts over many decades and also suggests that founder genotype perspectives are in fact more dy-namic when applied in the context of modern genomics-informed breeding.

Distribution and Selective Effects of Vrn-A1,Vrn-B1,and Vrn-D1 Genes in Derivative Varieties from Four Cornerstone Breeding Parents of Wheat in China

Vernalization, the process of a long exposure to low temperature to induce flowering in plants, is essential for plants to adapt to cold winters. The presence of vernalization genes Vrn-A1, -B1, and -D1 in four cornerstone breeding parents of wheat in China （Funo, Mentana, Yanda 1817, and Bima 4） and 322 derivative varieties （mostly winter wheat） from these parents were determined using PCR based molecular method. The frequencies of the VRN-1 genes in these derivative varieties were in order of Vrn-Dl（67.1%）〉 Vrn-Bl（19.6%）〉 Vrn-Al（5.3%）, which are similar as the former conclusion that Vrn-D1 is associated with the latest heading time, Vrn-A1 the earliest, and Vrn-B1 intermediate values. The frequencies of Vrn-Al and Vrn-B1 loci in the derivative varieties from winter wheat zones were higher than that from spring winter zones. Based on the wheat breeding history in China and the fact of non-random distribution of Vrn-A1 and Vrn-B1 in the derivative varieties from the four parents, there could be a strong selective effect on VRN-1 genes in different regions where the derivative varieties were cultivated.

Evaluation of Aegilops tauschii for Heading Date and Its Gene Location in a Re-synthesized Hexaploid Wheat

The successful worldwide cultivation of hexaploid wheat in a diverse range of environments is because of, in part, breeding and selection for appropriate heading date. To adjust and fine-tune the heading time of hexaploid wheat to particular geographical regions and specific environment within these, there is an urgent need to evaluate and use alternative alleles for heading time. Aegilops tauschii, the donor species of D-genome of hexaploid wheat, has a wide geographic distribution. The present study revealed a wide variation for heading time among 56 Ae. tauschii accessions. All the accessions with short heading dates belonged to the ssp. tauschii, whereas most of ssp. strangulata accessions showed very long heading date. The heading date was also related to distribution of this species. The monotelosomic and monosomic analysis of a synthetic hexaploid wheat showed that chromosome 2D derived from ssp. tauschii accession AS60 had a major effect on promoting heading time with a reduction of more than 5 days. It is postulated that this Ae. tauschii genotype possess the allele Ppd-D^t1 responsible for the insensitivity to photoperiod. This allele is probably different from Ppd-D1 existing in hexaploid wheat. The new allele Ppd-D^t1 derived from Ae. tauschii might be used as a source for hexaploid wheat breeding on photoperiod response.

Evaluation of a new method for quantification of heat tolerance in different wheat cultivars

Heat stress seriously affects wheat production in many regions of the world. At present, heat tolerance research remains one of the least understood fields in wheat genetics and breeding and there is a lack of effective methods to quantify heat stress and heat tolerance in different wheat cultivars. The objective of this study was to use various wheat cultivars to evaluate stress intensity(δ) and a new method for quantification of heat tolerance and compare this technique with three other currently utilized methods. This new parameter for heat tolerance quantification is referred to as the heat tolerance index(HTI) and is an indicator of both yield potential and yield stability. Heat treatments were applied in a controlled setting when anthesis had been reached for 80% of the wheat. The stress intensity evaluation indicated heat shock was the main factor associated with kernel weight reduction while grain yield reduction was mainly associated with chronic high temperature. The methods evaluation showed that a temperature difference of 5°C from natural temperatures was a suitable heat treatment to compare to the untreated controls. HTI was positively correlated with yield under heat stress(r=0.8657, δ=0.15, in 2009–2010; r=0.8418, δ=0.20, in 2010–2011; P<0.01), and negatively correlated with yield reduction rate(r=–0.8344, in 2009–2010; r=–0.7158, in 2010–2011; P<0.01). The results of this study validated the use of HTI and temperature difference control for quantifying wheat heat tolerance that included the yield potential and the stability of different wheat cultivars under heat stress. Additionally, 10 wheat cultivars showed high HTI and should be further tested for their heat confirming characteristics for use in wheat heat tolerance breeding.

Generation of a high-efficiency adenine base editor with TadA8e for developing wheat dinitroaniline-resistant germplasm

Base editing using CRISPR technologies is an invaluable tool for crop breeding. One of the major base editors, the adenine base editor(ABE), has been successfully used in both model plants and many crops.However, owing to limited editing efficiency, the ABE has been difficult to apply in polyploid crops such as allohexaploid bread wheat that often require simultaneous mutation of multiple alleles for fast breeding. We have designed a wheat high-efficiency ABE(Whie ABE), using the newly developed high-activity adenosine deaminase Tad A8 e. In vivo and in vitro analysis demonstrated the improved applicability of Tad A8 e over the commonly used Tad A7.10. Dinitroaniline is a widely used herbicide with high effectiveness and low toxicity to animals. However, wheat cultivars with tolerance to dinitroaniline are rare, limiting the application of dinitroaniline in wheat planting. Using A-to-G editing with Whie ABE, we found that a Met-to-Thr mutation in wheat tubulin alleles located on chromosomes 1 A, 1 B, 1 D, 4 A, and 4 D increased the resistance of wheat to dinitroaniline, revealing a dosage effect of edited tubulins in resistance. The Whie ABE promises to be a valuable editing tool for accelerating crop improvement and developing herbicide-resistant wheat germplasm.

Can effectoromics and loss-of-susceptibility be exploited for improving Fusarium head blight resistance in wheat?

Bread wheat(Triticum aestiuum L.),which provides about 20%of daily calorie intake,is the most widely cultivated crop in the world,in terms of total area devoted to its cultivation.Therefore,even small increases in wheat yield can translate into large gains.Reducing the gap between actual and potential grain yield in wheat is a crucial task to feed the increasing world population.Fusarium head blight(FHB)caused by the pathogenic fungus Fusaium graminearum and related Fusarium species is one of the most devastating wheat diseases throughout the world.This disease reduces not only the yield but also the quality by contaminating the grain with mycotoxins harmful for humans,animals and the environment.In recent years,remarkable achievements attained in omics"technologies have not only provided new insights into understanding of processes involved in pathogenesis but also helped develop effective new tools for practical plant breeding.Sequencing of the genomes of various wheat patho gens,including F.graminearum,as well as those of bread and durum wheat and their wild relatives,together with advances made in transcriptomics and bioinformatics,has allowed the identification of candidate pathogen effectors and corresponding host resistance(R)and susceptibility(S)genes.However,so far,FHB effectors and wheat susceptibility genes/factors have been poorly studied.In this paper,we first briefly highlighted recent examples of improving resistance against pathogens via new techniques in different host species.We then propose effective strategies towards developing wheat cultivars with improved resistance to FHB.We hope that the article will spur discussions and interest among researchers about novel approaches with great potential for improving wheat against FHB.

Development and application of plant transformation techniques

Genetic transformation is a powerful biotechnology for introducing novel genes into economically important plants from distantly-related plants or even unrelated species such as microbes and animals.This feat is impossible to be achieved by conventional breeding techniques.Development of transgenic plants has been a controversial subject since 1971 when the first genetically modified organism（GMO）was developed（James and Krattiger1996）.

Research Advances of Detection Methods of Mycotoxins

Mycotoxins are widely distributed in various feed ingredients and animal feed. Feed contamination by mycotoxin leads to deteriorated feed,various diseases of animals and even acute death,bringing great loss to breeding industry. The article summarized the harm of mycotoxin to animal and detection methods in feed and animal,in order to provide a reference for further improving mycotoxin detection methods and reducing the harm of mycotoxin to breeding industry.

Synthetic hexaploid wheat and its utilization for wheat genetic improvement in China

Synthetic hexaploid wheat （Triticum turgidum x Aegilops tauschii） was created to explore for novel genes from T. turgidum and Ae. tauschii that can be used for common wheat improvement. In the present paper, research advances on the utilization of synthetic hexaploid wheat for wheat genetic improvement in China are reviewed. Over 200 synthetic hexaploid wheat （SHW） accessions from the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Centre （CIMMYT） were introduced into China since 1995. Four cultivars derived from these, Chuanmai 38, Chuanmai 42, Chuanmai 43 and Chuanmai 47, have been released in China. Of these, Chuanmai 42, with large kernels and resistance to stripe rust, had the highest average yield （〉 6 t/ha） among all cultivars over two years in Sichuan provincial yield trials, outyielding the commercial check cultivar Chuanmai 107 by 22,7%. Meanwhile, by either artificial chromosome doubling via colchicine treatment or spontaneous chromosome doubling via a union of unreduced gametes （2n） from T. turgidum-Ae, tauschii hybrids, new SHW lines were produced in China. Mitotic-like meiosis might be the cytological mechanism of spontaneous chromosome doubling. SHW lines with genes for spontaneous chromosome doubling may be useful for producing new SHW-alien amphidiploids and double haploid in wheat genetic improvement.