Unlocking the Yield Potential of Wheat: Influence of Major Growth Habit and Adaptation Genes

Abstract

Improvement of grain yield has been the primary goal of many wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) breeding programs. Yield, nevertheless, has a complex genetic architecture which imposes constraints for breeding and selection. Among the main genetic factors affecting grain yield in wheat are the major growth habit and adaptation genes which include the vernalization, photoperiod, and reduced height genes. Optimizing flowering time and plant stature through selecting favorable alleles that control these traits could improve adaptation, which consequently could raise grain yield potential in target environments. Recently, genomewide association mapping and genomic selection approaches have revealed the complex genetic architecture of heading date and plant height in wheat. Non-invasive, fast, and accurate high-throughput phenotyping platforms have also been implemented to facilitate phenotypic field evaluation for flowering time and plant height. Crop simulation studies for future climate change scenarios favor the early flowering wheat ideotypes for improved yield and yield potential. Fine-tuning the adaptability and growth habit genes in modern cultivars remains crucial in raising the yield potential of wheat amidst changing climate and environmental conditions.