Abstract
Synthetic hexaploid wheat (SHW; Triticum durum L. × Aegilops tauschii Coss.) is a means of introducing novel genes/genomic regions into bread wheat (T. aestivum L.) and a potential genetic resource for improving grain mineral concentrations. We quantified 10 grain minerals (Ca, Cd, Cu, Co, Fe, Li, Mg, Mn, Ni, and Zn) using an inductively coupled mass spectrometer in 123 SHWs for a genome-wide association study (GWAS). A GWAS with 35,648 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers identified 92 marker-trait associations (MTAs), of which 60 were novel and 40 were within genes, and the genes underlying 20 MTAs had annotations suggesting a potential role in grain mineral concentration. Twenty-four MTAs on the D-genome were novel and showed the potential of Ae. tauschii for improving grain mineral concentrations such as Ca, Co, Cu, Li, Mg, Mn, and Ni. Interestingly, the large number of novel MTAs (36) identified on the AB genome of these SHWs indicated that there is a lot of variation yet to be explored and to be used in the A and B genome along with the D-genome. Regression analysis identified a positive correlation between a cumulative number of favorable alleles at MTA loci in a genotype and grain mineral concentration. Additionally, we identified multi-traits and stable MTAs and recommended 13 top 10% SHWs with a higher concentration of beneficial grain minerals (Cu, Fe, Mg, Mn, Ni, and Zn), a large number of favorable alleles compared to low ranking genotypes and checks that could be utilized in the breeding program for the genetic biofortification. This study will further enhance our understanding of the genetic architecture of grain minerals in wheat and related cereals.
Highlights
The global population is increasing rapidly and is expected to reach 9.8 billion in 2050 [1]
The analysis of variance (ANOVA) combined over these years revealed a significant effect of genotype for all traits, whereas a significant genotype × year effect was observed for grain protein concentration (GPC), Ca, Cu, Mg, Mn, and Ni (Table 1)
A wide range of genetic variation observed for grain yield (GY) and thousand kernel weight (TKW) in these Synthetic hexaploid wheat (SHW) was described previously [26]
Summary
The global population is increasing rapidly and is expected to reach 9.8 billion in 2050 [1]. With the increase in global population, the demand for staple crops will continue to increase. Despite the significant growth in wheat production, a large percentage of the population who rely on wheat as a staple crop suffer from deficiencies in minerals such as calcium (Ca), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), magnesium (Mg), and zinc (Zn) [4,5,6] because of the of low grain mineral concentrations [7]. Increased concentrations of essential minerals and decreased concentrations of toxic minerals such as cadmium (Cd) in wheat grain will have a significant impact on human health. One sustainable and cost-effective approach to increasing essential mineral concentration is through genetic biofortification, which requires identification of cultivars with useful genetic variability for grain minerals and understanding of the physiological and genetic architecture of these minerals in wheat [8]
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