Abstract
The development of nutritionally enhanced wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) with higher levels of grain iron (Fe) and zinc (Zn) offers a sustainable solution to micronutrient deficiency among resource-poor wheat consumers. One hundred and ninety recombinant inbred lines (RILs) from ‘Kachu’ × ‘Zinc-Shakti’ cross were phenotyped for grain Fe and Zn concentrations and phenological and agronomically important traits at Ciudad Obregon, Mexico in the 2017–2018, 2018–2019, and 2019–2020 growing seasons and Diversity Arrays Technology (DArT) molecular marker data were used to determine genomic regions controlling grain micronutrients and agronomic traits. We identified seven new pleiotropic quantitative trait loci (QTL) for grain Zn and Fe on chromosomes 1B, 1D, 2B, 6A, and 7D. The stable pleiotropic QTL identified have expanded the diversity of QTL that could be used in breeding for wheat biofortification. Nine RILs with the best combination of pleiotropic QTL for Zn and Fe have been identified to be used in future crossing programs and to be screened in elite yield trials before releasing as biofortified varieties. In silico analysis revealed several candidate genes underlying QTL, including those belonging to the families of the transporters and kinases known to transport small peptides and minerals (thus assisting mineral uptake) and catalyzing phosphorylation processes, respectively.
Highlights
About 3 billion people around the world, especially in countries where cereal-based foods represent the largest proportion of the daily diet, suffer from micronutrient malnutrition resulting primarily from iron (Fe) and zinc (Zn) deficiencies (Cakmak, 2002; Bouis and Islam, 2012; Black et al, 2013; Grew, 2018)
The specific objectives of the study were to (1) identify stable quantitative trait loci (QTL) associated with grain iron (GFeC) and zinc (GZnC) concentration for use in wheat breeding programs, (2) identify lines with best QTL combinations to be deployed in future crossing program, and (3) dissect the role of epistasis in the genetic architecture of nutritional traits (GZnC and GFeC)
The recombinant inbred lines (RILs) population was evaluated for grain zinc (GZnC), iron (GFeC) concentration, thousand kernel weight (TKW), and plant height (PH) for 3 consecutive years during 2017–2018 (Y1), 2018–2019 (Y2), and 2019–2020 (Y3)
Summary
About 3 billion people around the world, especially in countries where cereal-based foods represent the largest proportion of the daily diet, suffer from micronutrient malnutrition resulting primarily from iron (Fe) and zinc (Zn) deficiencies (Cakmak, 2002; Bouis and Islam, 2012; Black et al, 2013; Grew, 2018). One-fourth of the world population suffers from anemia caused by iron deficiency (Allen et al, 2006). The pregnant women and young children are the hardest hit sections to acute micronutrient malnutrition. In India alone, more than 50% of children below 5 years of age and pregnant women are anemic, whereas 38% of children of the same age group are stunted (Sharma et al, 2020)
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