Locating stable across environment QTL involved in the determination of agronomic characters in wheat

Abstract

The International Triticeae Mapping Initiative (ITMI) recombinant inbred line (RIL) population was used to detect quantitative trait loci (QTL) underlying some key agronomic characters in bread wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.). Trait measurements were taken from five independent field experiments performed in Serbia. Stable across environment QTL involved in the determination of heading/flowering time and ear morphology/grain yield were detected on, respectively, chromosome arms 2DS and 4AL. These map locations are consistent with those obtained where the same population has been grown in contrasting geographical sites. However, as a result of QTL × environment interactions, not all these QTL are expressed in all environments. Nevertheless the (pleiotropic) effect on ear morphology appears to be expressed in almost all environments, and so represents a high value target for wheat improvement.