The Effect of Different Dominant VRN Alleles and Their Combinations on the Duration of Developmental Phases and Productivity in Common Wheat Lines

Abstract

Using allele-specific primers and hybridological analysis, the allelic composition of the VRN and PPD loci was determined in common wheat lines derived from the Bezostaya 1 (Bez1) cultivar. In lines of the Bez1 cultivar carrying different dominant alleles of the VRN genes and their combinations, the duration of certain developmental phases was examined. It was demonstrated that, in lines with the combination of two dominant alleles of the VRN-1 locus (Bez1Vrn-A1aVrn-B1a and Bez1Vrn-A1aVrn-B1c), the duration of the “tillering–first node” and “shoots–heading” periods was statistically significantly decreased compared to the initial isogenic lines (i:Bez1Vrn-A1a, i:Bez1Vrn-B1a, and i:Bez1Vrn-B1c). In addition, the presence of two dominant alleles led to the reduction in the time span of the organogenesis stages, as shown by studying the dynamics of shoot apex size and morphology in common wheat lines of the Bez1 cultivar. The productivity analysis in the lines of the Bez1 cultivar showed that the i:Bez1Vrn-B1c line was characterized by highest productivity among isogenic lines, while the Bez1Vrn-A1a Vrn-B1c line was more productive than the Bez1Vrn-A1a Vrn-B1a line.