Genetic Diversity of Gli-1,Gli-2 and Glu-1 Alleles Among Chinese Endemic Wheats

Genetic diversity at Gli_1, Gli_2 and Glu_1 loci was investigated in 32 accessions of Chinese endemic wheat by using acid polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (APAGE) and sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)_PAGE. There were 8 gliadin and 3 high_molecular_weight (HMW)_glutenin patterns in 14 Yunnan hulled wheat ( Triticum aestivum ssp. yunnanese King) accessions, 9 gliadin and 4 HMW_glutenin patterns in 9 Tibetan weedrace ( T. aestivum ssp. tibetanum Shao ) accessions, and 9 gliadin and 5 HMW_glutenin patterns in 9 Xinjiang rice wheat ( T. petropavlovskyi Udacz. et Migusch.) accessions. One accession (i.e. Daomai 2) carried new subunits 2.1+10.1 encoded by Glu_D1. Among the three Chinese endemic wheat groups, a total of 10, 14 and 11 alleles at Gli_1 locus; 11, 14 and 12 alleles at Gli_2 locus; and 5, 6 and 8 alleles at Glu_1 locus were identified, respectively. Among Yunnan hulled wheat, Tibetan weedrace and Xinjiang rice wheat, the Nei's genetic variation indexes were 0.3798, 0.5625 and 0.5693, respectively. These results suggested that Tibetan weedrace and Xinjiang rice wheat had higher genetic diversity than Yunnan hulled wheat.

Detection of Genetic Diversity in Synthetic Hexaploid Wheats Using Microsatellite Markers

Ninety-five synthetic hexaploid wheats （2n = 6x = 42, AABBDD） were analyzed using 45 microsatellite markers to investigate the potential genetic diversity in wheat breeding programs. A total of 326 alleles were detected by these microsatellite primer pairs, with an average of 6.65 alleles per locus. The polymorphic information content （PIC）, Simpson index （SI）, and genetic similarity （GS） coefficient showed that the D genome is of the highest genetic diversity among the A, B, and D genomes in the synthetic hexaploid wheats. The results also indicated that the synthetic hexaploid wheat is an efficient way to enrich wheat genetic backgrounds, especially to use the genetic variations of the D genome from Aegilops squarrosa for wheat improvement. The UPGMA dendogram, based on a similarity matrix by a simple matching coeff＇lcient algorithm, delineated the above accessions into 5 major clusters and was in accordance with the available pedigree information. The results demonstrated the utility of microsatellite markers in detecting DNA polymorphism and estimating genetic diversity.

Variations in the quality parameters and gluten proteins in synthetic hexaploid wheats solely expressing the Glu-D1 locus

This study evaluated the quality potential of seven synthetic hexaploid wheats(2 n=6 x=42, AABBDD) expressing only allelic variation at Glu-D1 of Aegilops tauschii(SHWSD). Major quality parameters related to dough strength, gluten proteins(including high-molecular-weight glutenin subunits(HMW-GS) and low-molecular-weight glutenin subunits(LMW-GS), gliadins), and their ratios between SHWSD and the weak gluten wheat control Chuannong 16(CN16) were measured in at least three environments(except STD7). The zeleny sedimentation value(ZSV), dough development time(DDT), dough stability time(DST), and farinograph quality number(FQN) of SHWSD were considered stable under different environments, with their respective ranges being 8.00–17.67 mL, 0.57–1.50 min, 0.73–1.80 min, and 9.50–27.00. The ZSV, DDT, DST, and FQN of SHWSD were smaller than those of CN16, suggesting that SHWSD had a weaker dough strength than CN16. Although SHWSD had a lower gluten index than CN16, its wet and dry gluten contents were similar to or even higher than those of CN16 in all environments tested. The protein content of grains(12.81–18.21%) and flours(14.20–20.31%) in SHWSD was higher than that in CN16. The amount of HMW-GS in SHWSD sharply decreased under the expression of fewer HMW-GS genes, and the LMW-GS, gliadins, and total glutenins were simultaneously increased in SHWSD in comparison with CN16. Moreover, SHWSD had higher ratios of LMWGS/glutenin and gliadin/glutenin but a lower ratio of HMW-GS/glutenin than CN16. These results provide necessary information for the utilization of SHWSD in weak-gluten wheat breeding.

Molecular Characterization and SNP Markers of the β-purothionin Gene in Einkorn Wheats

Forty-three gene sequences encoding purothionin were characterized from the three species or subspecies of einkorn wheats. These sequences contained 887 bp, among which 92 SNPs including 29 indel loci were detected, giving an average SNP frequency of one SNP per 9.64 bases. According to these sequences, 5 SNP markers were successfully designed, which were used to mine the variations ofpurothionin genes of 102 einkorn wheat accessions. Based on the 5 detected SNP loci, 102 einkorn wheat accessions could be divided into 21 haplotypes, among which 11 haplotypes contained a single sample. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that the purothionin genes from einkorn wheats were more closely related to those from D genome than B genome. Seven out of the 43 gene sequences were assumed to be pseudogenes by the definition of containing in-frame stop codons and small insertions/deletions leading to frameshift. In the remaining 36 amino acid sequences, the 8 Cys and Tyr-13 loci in the mature thionin domain which played important roles in the biological activities were all conserved, whereas there were some varieties occurred in some other important amino acid residues such as Lys and Arg.

Increasing the appropriate seedling density for higher yield in dry direct-seeded rice sown by a multifunctional seeder after wheatstraw return

Dry direct-seeded rice(DDR) sown using a multifunctional seeder that performs synchronous rotary tillage and sowing has received increased attention because it is highly efficient,relatively cheap,and environmentally friendly.However,this method of rice production may produce lower yields in a rice–wheat rotation system because of its poor seedling establishment.To address this problem,we performed field experiments to determine the rice yield at five seedling density levels(B1,B2,B3,B4,and B5=100,190,280,370,and 460 seedlings m-2,respectively) and clarify the physiological basis of yield formation.We selected a representative high-quality rice variety and a multifunctional seeder that used in a typical rice–wheat rotation area in 2016 and 2018.The proportion of main stem panicle increased with increasing seedling density.There was a parabolic relationship between yield and seedling density,and the maximum yield(9.34-9.47 t ha-1) was obtained under B3.The maximum yield was associated with a higher total spikelet number m-2 and greater biomass accumulation from heading to maturity.The higher total spikelet number m-2 under B3 was attributed to an increase in panicle number m-2 compared with B1 and B2.Although the panicle numbers also increased under B4 and B5,these increases were insufficient to compensate for the reduced spikelet numbers per panicle.Lower biomass,smaller leaf area,and lower N uptake per plant from the stem elongation stage to the heading stage were partially responsible for the smaller panicle size at higher seedling density levels such as B5.The higher biomass accumulation under B3 was ascribed to the increases in the photosynthetic rate of the top three leaves m-2 of land,crop growth rate,net assimilation rate,and leaf area index.Furthermore,the B3 rice population was marked by a higher grain–leaf ratio,as well as a lower export ratio and transport ratio of biomass per stem-sheath.A quadratic function predicted that 260-290 seedlings m-2 is the optimum seedling density for achieving maximum yield.Together,these results suggested that appropriately increasing the seedling density,and thereby increasing the proportion of panicles formed by the main stem,is an effective approach for obtaining a higher yield in DDR sown using a multifunctional seeder in a rice–wheat rotation system.

Distribution of Grain Hardness in Chinese Wheats and Genetic Analysis

A hundred winter wheat and 41 spring wheat cultivars and advanced lines were used to investigate the distribution of grain hardness in Chinese wheats and correlations between grain hardness and other kernel traits. P1, P2, F1 , F2 and F3 from three crosses, i. e. , Liken2/Yumai2, 85Zhong33/Wenmai6 and 85Zhong33/95Zhong459 were sown to study the genetics of grain hardness. Significant correlation was observed between hardness measured by Single Kernel Characteristic System 4100 (SKCS 4100) and Near Infrared (NIR) Spectroscopy, r ranging from 0.85 to 0.94. Chinese wheat is a mixed population in terms of hardness, ranging from very soft to very hard. For autumn-sown wheat, on average, grain hardness decreases from north to south and spring-sown wheat is dominant with hard type. Hardness is negatively associated with flour color, and its associations with flour yield and ash content differ in winter and spring wheats. Grain hardness is controlled by a major gene and several minor genes with additive effect mostly, but dominant effect is also observed, with heritability of 0.78.

Comparison of Grain Zinc and Iron Concentration between Synthetic Hexaploid Wheats and Their Parents

Deficiencies of iron (Fe) and zinc (Zn) in human food afflict a large proportion of the world’s population. Wheat is a major food source of minerals. One way to enhance bread wheat’s ability to enrich these minerals would be to take advantage of diversity of wild species by creating synthetic hexaploid wheat (SW). In this study, two minerals (Fe and Zn) concentrated in the grain of Aegilops tauschii Coss. (2n = 2x = 14, DD), Triticum turgidum L. (2n = 4x = 28, AABB), and 33 lines of their corresponding SW (2n = 2x = 42, AABBDD) were evaluated. The results showed that Fe concentration was decreased in most of SW lines compared with their parental Aegilops tauschii accessions, while Zn concentration was greatly increased in most of SW lines compared with their parental Aegilops tauschii accessions. Aegilops tauschii had stronger Fe enrichment than Triticum turgidum while they expressed the same ability for Zn enrichment. The genotypic variance based on their physiological performance was analyzed. SW lines showed less genotypic variance of Fe and Zn concentration than Aegilops tauschii. SW lines showed less genotypic variance of Fe concentration than Triticum turgidum L. lines while they had more genotypic variance of Zn concentration than Triticum turgidum L. lines. Regardless of the fact that the traits expressed in wild relatives of wheat may not predict the traits that will be expressed in SW lines derived from them, production of SW could be a powerful method creating genotypes with enhanced trait expression.

Necrotic Incompatibility in Crosses of Bread Wheats in Argentina

Abstract： Synthetic wheats are the product of the cross between Triticum turgidum L. var. durum and T. tauschii. The 7＇. tauschii has shown excellent resistance to diseases, salinity, and drought, However, these synthetic wheats are also carriers of genes that produce varying degrees of necrosis, which is expressed as death of tissues in the hybrids （F l） generated from crosses with other bread wheats Necrotic incompatibility is a gradual premature leaf death in certain bread wheat F1 plants and it is caused by the interaction of two genes Nel and Ne2. In this paper 40 hybridizations with T. tauschii in the genetic constitution of some of the two parents made in 2006 and 2007 are presented, and their respective F1 planted at the CEI Barrow （Chacra Experimental de Barrow）. The plants that showed necrotic incompatibility had less growth than the normal F1 at tillering. Symptoms appeared at the beginning of tillering, remaining in that state and till jointing but they never headed. Out of the 16 Argentinean commercial cultivars evaluated, seven had the Ne allele in its genetic constitution and therefore showed necrotic incompatibility, whereas nine of them did not have the NE allele and their F 1 developed normally.

Polyethylene glycol fusion repair of severed rat sciatic nerves reestablishes axonal continuity and reorganizes sensory terminal fields in the spinal cord

Peripheral nerve injuries result in the rapid degeneration of distal nerve segments and immediate loss of motor and sensory functions;behavioral recovery is typically poor.We used a plasmalemmal fusogen,polyethylene glycol(PEG),to immediately fuse closely apposed open ends of severed proximal and distal axons in rat sciatic nerves.We have previously reported that sciatic nerve axons repaired by PEG-fusion do not undergo Wallerian degeneration,and PEG-fused animals exhibit rapid(within 2–6 weeks)and extensive locomotor recovery.Furthermore,our previous report showed that PEG-fusion of severed sciatic motor axons was non-specific,i.e.,spinal motoneurons in PEG-fused animals were found to project to appropriate as well as inappropriate target muscles.In this study,we examined the consequences of PEG-fusion for sensory axons of the sciatic nerve.Young adult male and female rats(Sprague–Dawley)received either a unilateral single cut or ablation injury to the sciatic nerve and subsequent repair with or without(Negative Control)the application of PEG.Compound action potentials recorded immediately after PEG-fusion repair confirmed conduction across the injury site.The success of PEG-fusion was confirmed through Sciatic Functional Index testing with PEG-fused animals showing improvement in locomotor function beginning at 35 days postoperatively.At 2–42 days postoperatively,we anterogradely labeled sensory afferents from the dorsal aspect of the hindpaw following bilateral intradermal injection of wheat germ agglutinin conjugated horseradish peroxidase.PEG-fusion repair reestablished axonal continuity.Compared to unoperated animals,labeled sensory afferents ipsilateral to the injury in PEG-fused animals were found in the appropriate area of the dorsal horn,as well as inappropriate mediolateral and rostrocaudal areas.Unexpectedly,despite having intact peripheral nerves,similar reorganizations of labeled sensory afferents were also observed contralateral to the injury and repair.This central reorganization may contribute to the improved behavioral recovery seen after PEG-fusion repair,supporting the use of this novel repair methodology over currently available treatments.

An integrated physiology and proteomics analysis reveals the response of wheat grain to low temperature stress during booting

Low temperature(LT)in spring has become one of the principal abiotic stresses that restrict the growth and development of wheat.Diverse analyses were performed to investigate the mechanism underlying the response of wheat grain development to LT stress during booting.These included morphological observation,measurements of starch synthase activity,and determination of amylose and amylopectin content of wheat grain after exposure to treatment with LT during booting.Additionally,proteomic analysis was performed using tandem mass tags(TMT).Results showed that the plumpness of wheat grains decreased after LT stress.Moreover,the activities of sucrose synthase(SuS,EC 2.4.1.13)and ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase(AGPase,EC 2.7.7.27)exhibited a significant reduction,leading to a significant reduction in the contents of amylose and amylopectin.A total of 509 differentially expressed proteins(DEPs)were identified by proteomics analysis.The Gene Ontology(GO)enrichment analysis showed that the protein difference multiple in the nutritional repository activity was the largest among the molecular functions,and the up-regulated seed storage protein(ssP)played an active role in the response of grains to LT stress and subsequent damage.The Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG)enrichment analysis showed that LT stress reduced the expression of DEPs such as sucrose phosphate synthase(SPS),glucose-1-phosphate adenylyltransferase(glgC),andβ-fructofuranosidase(FFase)in sucrose and starch metabolic pathways,thus affecting the synthesis of grain starch.In addition,many heat shock proteins(HsPs)were found in the protein processing in endoplasmic reticulum pathways,which can resist some damage caused by LT stress.These findings provide a new theoretical foundation for elucidating the underlying mechanism governing wheat yield developmentafterexposuretoLTstress inspring.

Development and molecular cytogenetic identification of a new wheat-rye 6RL ditelosomic addition and 1R(1B)substitution line with powderymildew resistance

Powdery mildew is a serious disease caused by Blumeria graminis f.sp.tritici(Bgt)that critically threatens the yield and quality of wheat(Triticum aestivum L.).Using effective powdery mildew resistance genes is the optimal method for controlling this disease.Against the background of high genetic homogeneity among the modern commercial cultivars that are mainly derived from conventional interbreeding,the resistance genes from wheat relatives have especially prominent advantages.Octoploid triticale,produced from common wheat and rye(Secale cereale L.)through distant hybridization,is a new synthetic species and valuable gene donor for wheat improvement.In this study,we developed the wheat-rye line YT5 through the hybridization of octaploid triticale and two wheat lines.YT5 was confirmed to be a 6RL ditelosomic addition and 1R(1B)substitution line using genomic in situ hybridization(GISH),multicolor fluorescence in situ hybridization(mc-FISH),multicolor GISH(mc-GISH)and molecular marker analysis.Genetic analysis showed that the powdery mildew resistance in YT5 was derived from the rye chromosome arm 6RL.After inoculation with different Bgt isolates at the seedling stage,YT5 had compound reaction patterns with both obvious spores and hypersensitivity,and it gradually became highly resistant until the adult-plant stage,thus showing a resistance response significantly different from the reported Pm genes from rye chromosome 6RL.YT5 also showed promising agronomic performance,so it is expected to be an elite resistance donor for wheat improvement.To promote the transfer of the chromosome arm 6RL of YT5 in marker-assisted selection(MAS)breeding,we selected and verified two 6RL-specific kompetitive allelespecific PCR(KASP)markers that can be applied to efficiently detect this chromosome arm in different wheat backgrounds.

Water and Nutrient Use Efficiency in Diploid, Tetraploid and Hexaploid Wheats

Three diploid （Triticum boeoticum, AA; Aegilops speltoides, BB and Ae. tauschii, DD）, two tetraplold （T. dlcoccoides, AABB and T. dicoccon, AABB） and one hexapioid （T. vulgare, AABBDD） varieties of wheat, which are very important In the evolution of wheat were chosen in this study. A pot experiment was carried out on the wheat under different water and nutrient conditions （i） to understand the differences in biomass, yield, water use efficiency （WUE）, and nutrient （N, P and K） use efficiency （uptake and utilization efficiency） among ploidies in the evolution of wheat; （li） to clarify the effect of water and nutrient conditions on water and nutrient use efficiency; and （ill） to assess the relationship of water and nutrient use efficiency in the evolution of wheat. Our results showed that from diploid to tetraplold then to hexaploid during the evolution of wheat, both root biomass and above-ground biomass Increased Initially and then decreased. Water consumption for transpiration decreased remarkably, correlating with the decline of the growth period, while grain yield, harvest index, WUE, N, P and K uptake efficiency, and N, P and K utilization efficiency Increased significantly. Grain yield, harvest index and WUE decreased In the same order： T. vulgare 〉 T. dicoccon 〉 T. dicoccoides 〉 Ae. tauschii 〉 Ae. speltoides 〉 T. boeoticum. Water stress significantly decreased root blomass, above-ground biomass, yield, and water consumption for transpiration by 47-52%, but remarkably Increased WUE. Increasing the nutrient supply increased wheat above-ground biomass, grain yield, harvest Index, water consumption for transpiration and WUE under different water levels, but reduced root blomass under drought conditions. Generally, water stress and low nutrient supply resulted in the lower nutrient uptake efficiency of wheat. However, water and nutrient application had no significant effects on nutrient utilization efficiency, suggesting that wheat nutrient utilization efficiency is mainly controlled by genotypes. Compared to the other two diploid wheats, Ae. squarrosa （DD） had significant higher WUE and nutrient utilization efficiency, Indicating that the D genome may carry genes controlling high efficient utilization of water and nutrient. Significant relation- ships were found between WUE and N, P and K utilization efficiency.

Evaluation of the effect of different wheats and xylanase supplementation on performance,nutrient and energy utilisation in broiler chicks

The aim of this study was to evaluate the performance, nutrient utilisation and energy metabolism of broiler chicks fed 8 different wheat samples, supplemented or not with xylanase. Seven-hundred sixty eight male broilers(1-day-old) were distributed to 16 experimental treatments(6 replicates per treatment). The treatments were in a factorial arrangement with 8 different wheats and 2 levels of xylanase(0 or 16,000 BXU/kg). The predicted apparent metabolisable energy(AME) of the wheat samples ranged from 13.0 to 13.9 MJ/kg and all diets were formulated to contain the same amount of wheat. Body weight gain(BWG) and feed intake(FI) were measured at 21 d, as was jejunal digesta viscosity, and feed conversion ratio(FCR) calculated. On day 24, one representative bird per pen was selected to calculate whole body energetics. At 21 d, 3 chicks per replicate were randomly allocated to metabolism cages for energy and nutrient utilisation determinations, and were continued on the experimental diets until 24-d-old. No interactions were observed for any performance response variables, ileal nutrient utilisation or digesta viscosity. Xylanase improved BWG and reduced FCR and digesta viscosity(P < 0.05). Wheat influenced dry matter(DM) utilisation and xylanase increased ileal digestible energy(P = 0.04). Xylanase also improved(P < 0.05) DM and nitrogen retention. Apparent metabolisable energy and AME corrected for nitrogen(AMEn) were subject to an interaction whereby wheats 2 and 6, which returned the lowest AME and AMEn values, responded to xylanase supplementation and the remainder did not. Net energy for production and the efficiency of energy use for production were not influenced by xylanase, but were affected by wheat(P < 0.05). Despite the significant differences between wheats with regards to their nutrient utilisation and energy metabolism in birds, xylanase removed this variance and resulted in more homogeneous performance.

Nucleolus organizer regions (Nor loci) of Chinese wheats

Nucleolus organizer regions (Nor loci) of a range of Chinese wheat landraces and cultivars (Triticum aestivum L. em Thell.) were analysed using genomic DNA extracted from leaves. Only two allelic variants of the Nor-B1 locus were found on chromosome 1B (Nor-B1a and Nor-B1g), while Nor-B1g was probably introduced from North America in the early 1960s. The even more recent introduction of the rye allele Nor-R1 in the early 1980s was also revealed. Eight allelic variants of the Nor-B2 locus on chromosome 6B (Nor-B2a, b, d, f, h, o, p and s) were identified. A Chinese origin for the a, d, f, o, p and s alkies is evident although the d allele was successfully introduced into Australian wheats in the early 1900s. Nor-B2h and Nor-B2b are again very recent introductions into Chinese wheat breeding programs, the former from CIMMYT wheats and the latter in association with the introduction of the 1RS/1BL translocation from Europe. On the basis of the presence of different combinations of Nor-B1 and Nor-B2 alleles, the Chinese wheat cultivars can be divided into eight phenotypic groups.

Winter wheat yield improvement by genetic gain across different provinces in China

The replacement of winter wheat varieties has contributed significantly to yield improvement worldwide,with remarkable progress in China.Drawing on two sets of data,production yield from the National Bureau of Statistics of China and experimental yield from literature,this study aims to(1)illustrate the increasing patterns of production yield among different provinces from 1978 to 2018 in China,(2)explore the genetic gain in yield and yield relevant traits through the variety replacement based on experimental yield from 1937 to 2016 in China,and(3)compare the yield gap between experimental yield and production yield.The results show that both the production and experimental yields significantly increased along with the variety replacement.The national annual yield increase ratio for the production yield was 1.67%from 1978 to 2018,varying from 0.96%in Sichuan Province to 2.78%in Hebei Province;such ratio for the experimental yield was 1.13%from 1937 to 2016.The yield gap between experimental and production yields decreased from the 1970s to the 2010s.This study reveals significant increases in some yield components consequent to variety replacement,including thousand-grain weight,kernel number per spike,and grain number per square meter;however,no change is shown in spike number per square meter.The biomass and harvest index consistently and significantly increased,whereas the plant height decreased significantly.

Genome-wide association study of grain micronutrient concentrations in bread wheat

Bread wheat(Triticum aestivum)is a staple food crop worldwide.The genetic dissection of important nutrient traits is essential for the biofortification of wheat to meet the nutritional needs of the world's growing population.Here,45,298 single-nucleotide polymorphisms(SNPs)from 55K chip arrays were used to genotype a panel of 768 wheat cultivars,and a total of 154 quantitative trait loci(QTLs)were detected for eight traits under three environments by genome-wide association study(GWAS).Three QTLs(qMn-3B.1,qFe-3B.4,and qSe-3B.1/qFe-3B.6)detected repeatedly under different environments or traits were subjected to subsequent analyses based on linkage disequilibrium decay and the P-values of significant SNPs.Significant SNPs in the three QTL regions formed six haplotypes for qMn-3B.1,three haplotypes for qFe-3B.4,and three haplotypes for qSe-3B.1/qFe-3B.6.Phenotypic analysis revealed significant differences among haplotypes.These results indicated that the concentrations of several nutrient elements have been modified during the domestication of landraces to modern wheat.Based on the QTL regions,we identified 15 high-confidence genes,eight of which were stably expressed in different tissues and/or developmental stages.TraesCS3B02G046100 in qMn-3B.1 and TraesCS3B02G199500 in qSe-3B.1/qFe-3B.6 were both inferred to interact with metal ions according to the Gene Ontology(GO)analysis.TraesCS3B02G199000,which belongs to qSe-3B.1/qFe-3B.6,was determined to be a member of the WRKY gene family.Overall,this study provides several reliable QTLs that may significantly affect the concentrations of nutrient elements in wheat grain,and this information will facilitate the breeding of wheat cultivars with improved grain properties.

Creating large EMS populations for functional genomics and breeding in wheat

Wheat germplasm is a fundamental resource for basic research,applied studies,and wheat breeding,which can be enriched normally by several paths,such as collecting natural lines,accumulating breeding lines,and introducing mutagenesis materials.Ethyl methane sulfonate(EMS)is an alkylating agent that can effectively introduce genetic variations in a wide variety of plant species.In this study,we created a million-scale EMS population(MEP)that started with the Chinese wheat cultivars‘Luyan 128’,‘Jimai 38’,‘Jimai 44’,and‘Shannong 30’.In the M1 generation,the MEP had numerous phenotypical variations,such as>3,000 chlorophyll-deficient mutants,2,519 compact spikes,and 1,692 male sterile spikes.There were also rare mutations,including 30 independent tillers each with double heads.Some M1 variations of chlorophyll-deficiency and compact spikes were inheritable,appearing in the M2 or M3 generations.To advance the entire MEP to higher generations,we adopted a single-seed descendent(SSD)approach.All other seed composites of M2 were used to screen other agronomically important traits,such as the tolerance to herbicide quizalofop-P-methyl.The MEP is available for collaborative projects,and provides a valuable toolbox for wheat genetics and breeding for sustainable agriculture.

Plastic mulch increases dryland wheat yield and water-use productivity,while straw mulch increases soil water storage

Amplifying drought stress and high precipitation variability impair dryland wheat production.These problems can potentially be minimized by using plastic mulch(PM)or straw mulch(SM).Therefore,wheat grain yield,soil water storage,soil temperature and water-use productivity of PM and SM treatments were compared with no mulch(CK)treatment on dryland wheat over a period of eight seasons.Compared to the CK treatment,PM and SM treatments on average significantly increased grain yield by 12.6 and 10.5%,respectively.Compared to the CK treatment,SM treatment significantly decreased soil daily temperature by 0.57,0.60 and 0.48℃ for the whole seasons,growing periods and summer fallow periods,respectively.In contrast,compared to the CK treatment,PM treatment increased soil daily temperature by 0.44,0.51 and 0.27℃ for the whole seasons,growing periods and summer fallow periods,respectively.Lower soil temperature under SM allowed greater soil water storage than under PM.Soil water storage pre-seeding was 17%greater under the SM than under the PM treatment.Soil water storage post-harvest was similar for the PM and SM treatments,but evapotranspiration was 4.5%higher in the SM than in the PM treatment.Consequently,water-use productivity was 6.6%greater under PM than under the SM treatment.Therefore,PM treatment increased dryland wheat yield and water-use productivity,while straw mulch increased soil water storage.

The gene encoding flavonol synthase contributes to lesion mimic in wheat

Lesion mimic often exhibits leaf disease-like symptoms even in the absence of pathogen infection,and is characterized by a hypersensitive-response(HR)that closely linked to plant disease resistance.Despite this,only a few lesion mimic genes have been identified in wheat.In this investigation,a lesion mimic wheat mutant named je0297 was discovered,showing no alteration in yield components when compared to the wild type(WT).Segregation ratio analysis of the F_(2)individuals resulting from the cross between the WT and the mutant revealed that the lesion mimic was governed by a single recessive gene in je0297.Using Bulked segregant analysis(BSA)and exome capture sequencing,we mapped the lesion mimic gene designated as lm6 to chromosome 6BL.Further gene fine mapping using 3315 F_(2)individuals delimited the lm6 within a 1.18 Mb region.Within this region,we identified 16 high-confidence genes,with only two displaying mutations in je0297.Notably,one of the two genes,responsible for encoding flavonol synthase,exhibited altered expression levels.Subsequent phenotype analysis of TILLING mutants confirmed that the gene encoding flavonol synthase was indeed the causal gene for lm6.Transcriptome sequencing analysis revealed that the DEGs between the WT and mutant were significantly enriched in KEGG pathways related to flavonoid biosynthesis,including flavone and flavonol biosynthesis,isoflavonoid biosynthesis,and flavonoid biosynthesis pathways.Furthermore,more than 30 pathogen infection-related(PR)genes exhibited upregulation in the mutant.Corresponding to this expression pattern,the flavonoid content in je0297 showed a significant decrease in the 4^(th)leaf,accompanied by a notable accumulation of reactive oxygen,which likely contributed to the development of lesion mimic in the mutant.This investigation enhances our comprehension of cell death signaling pathways and provides a valuable gene resource for the breeding of disease-resistant wheat.

WPA1 encodes a vWA domain protein that regulates wheat plant architecture

Plant height,spike,leaf,stem and grain morphologies are key components of plant architecture and related to wheat yield.A wheat(Triticum aestivum L.)mutant,wpa1,displaying temperaturedependent pleiotropic developmental anomalies,was isolated.The WPA1 gene,encoding a von Willebrand factor type A(vWA)domain protein,was located on chromosome arm 7DS and isolated by map-based cloning.The functionality of WPA1 was validated by multiple independent EMS-induced mutants and gene editing.Phylogenetic analysis revealed that WPA1 is monocotyledon-specific in higher plants.The identification of WPA1 provides opportunity to study the temperature regulated wheat development and grain yield.