Selection for water-soluble carbohydrate accumulation and investigation of genetic x environment interactions in an elite wheat breeding population
RIS ID
116446
Abstract
Key message: Water-soluble carbohydrate accumulation can be selected in wheat breeding programs with consideration of genetic x environmental interactions and relationships with other important characteristics such as relative maturity and nitrogen concentration, although the correlation between WSC traits and grain yield is low and inconsistent.Abstract: The potential to increase the genetic capacity for water-soluble carbohydrate (WSC) accumulation is an opportunity to improve the drought tolerance capability of rainfed wheat varieties, particularly in environments where terminal drought is a significant constraint to wheat production. A population of elite breeding germplasm was characterized to investigate the potential for selection of improved WSC concentration and total amount in water deficit and well-watered environments. Accumulation of WSC involves complex interactions with other traits and the environment. For both WSC concentration (WSCC) and total WSC per area (WSCA), strong genotype x environment interactions were reflected in the clear grouping of experiments into well-watered and water deficit environment clusters. Genetic correlations between experiments were high within clusters. Heritability for WSCC was larger than for WSCA, and significant associations were observed in both well-watered and water deficit experiment clusters between the WSC traits and nitrogen concentration, tillering, grains per m 2 , and grain size. However, correlations between grain yield and WSCC or WSCA were weak and variable, suggesting that selection for these traits is not a better strategy for improving yield under drought than direct selection for yield.
Publication Details
Ovenden, B., Milgate, A., Lisle, C., Wade, L., Rebetzke, G. J. & Holland, J. B. (2017). Selection for water-soluble carbohydrate accumulation and investigation of genetic x environment interactions in an elite wheat breeding population. Theoretical and Applied Genetics: international journal of plant breeding research, 130 (11), 2445-2461.