Molecular characterization of QTL for grain zinc and iron concentrations in wheat landrace Chinese Spring

Mengjing Sun ^1,2, Jingyang Tong ¹, Yan Dong ¹

¹State Key Laboratory of Crop Gene Resources and Breeding/National Engineering Research Center of Crop Molecular Breeding, Institute of Crop Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), Beijing, 100081, China.
²State Key Laboratory of Crop Heterosis and Utilization, College of Agronomy, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100094, China.
³Institute of Crop Sciences, Sichuan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Chengdu, 610066, Sichuan, China.
⁴Institute of Cereal and Oil Crops, Hebei Academy of Agricultural and Forestry Sciences, Shijiazhuang, 050031, Hebei, China.
⁵International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) China Office, c/o CAAS, Beijing, 100081, China.
⁶Department of Plant Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, 45320, Pakistan.
⁷Department of Agronomy, Faculty of Agriculture, Assiut University, Assiut, 71526, Egypt.
⁸State Key Laboratory of Crop Heterosis and Utilization, College of Agronomy, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100094, China. nizf@cau.edu.cn.
⁹State Key Laboratory of Crop Gene Resources and Breeding/National Engineering Research Center of Crop Molecular Breeding, Institute of Crop Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), Beijing, 100081, China. haoyuanfeng@caas.cn.

⁰State Key Laboratory of Crop Gene Resources and Breeding/National Engineering Research Center of Crop Molecular Breeding, Institute of Crop Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), Beijing, 100081, China.

Tag. Theoretical and Applied Genetics. Theoretische Und Angewandte Genetik +

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June 5, 2024

View abstract on PubMed

Summary

Three stable quantitative trait loci (QTL) for grain zinc concentration were identified in wheat landrace Chinese Spring. Favorable alleles for these QTL are more common in landraces than modern cultivars, offering potential for wheat biofortification.

Area Of Science

Plant genetics and breeding
Agricultural science
Nutritional science

Background

Wheat is a global dietary staple, and enhancing its nutritional value, specifically zinc and iron content, is crucial for human health.
Micronutrient deficiencies are a significant global health concern, necessitating strategies to improve the nutritional quality of staple crops like wheat.

Purpose Of The Study

To identify quantitative trait loci (QTL) associated with grain zinc concentration (GZnC) and grain iron concentration (GFeC) in wheat.
To investigate the frequency of favorable alleles in landraces versus modern cultivars for potential use in wheat biofortification programs.

Main Methods

A recombinant inbred line (RIL) population of 245 lines from a cross between Zhou 8425B and Chinese Spring was used for QTL analysis across four environments.
Kompetitive allele specific PCR (KASP) assays were employed to validate identified QTL in 125 resequenced wheat accessions.
Candidate gene association studies were conducted to further delimit QTL regions.

Main Results

Three stable QTL for GZnC were identified on chromosomes 3BL, 5AL, and 5BL, with favorable alleles originating from Chinese Spring.
Favorable allele frequencies for these GZnC QTL were significantly higher in landraces compared to modern cultivars.
Two stable and three less stable QTL for GFeC were also identified on chromosomes 4BS, 4DS, 1DS, 3AS, and 6DS.

Conclusions

The identified QTL provide valuable genetic markers for enhancing zinc and iron concentrations in wheat through breeding.
The higher frequency of favorable alleles in landraces suggests they have not been under selection in modern breeding, presenting an opportunity for biofortification.
This research contributes to understanding the genetic basis of micronutrient accumulation in wheat and supports efforts towards crop biofortification.