Hard White Spring Wheat Research Articles

Release of ‘UI Gold’ hard white spring wheat

Abstract‘UI Gold’ (Reg. no. CV‐1205, PI 700874) hard white spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) was developed by the Idaho Agricultural Experiment Station and released in 2022. UI Gold was derived from the cross A03018S‐E × WA8123. It was tested under experimental numbers A11434‐14 and IDO1804S and showed high grain yield and excellent bread‐baking quality when grown in both irrigated and dryland conditions. UI Gold has grain yield comparable to the high‐yielding hard white spring check cultivar ‘Dayn’ and higher yield than the widely grown hard white spring wheat cultivars ‘SY Teton’ and ‘UI Platinum’. UI Gold has gluten strength similar to SY Teton and greater gluten strength than Dayn and UI Platinum. Compared with Dayn, in various trials UI Gold matured 3–4 days later and was 1–5 cm shorter.

Wheat yield and protein estimation with handheld‐ and UAV‐based reflectance measurements

AbstractPrecision agriculture provides efficient means of obtaining real‐time data to guide nitrogen (N) management based on predicted crop profitability. This study was conducted to assess the efficacy of using in‐season measurements (plant height, biomass weight, biomass N, soil plant analysis development [SPAD], GreenSeeker [GS] normalized difference vegetative index [NDVI], and unmanned aerial vehicle [UAV] NDVI) at Feekes 5 (tillering) and Feekes 10 (anthesis) to estimate wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) yield and protein. The secondary aim was to determine whether the accuracy of yield and protein prediction varies by wheat class and cultivar. Six cultivars—hard red spring (HRS) wheat ‘Jefferson’ and ‘SY Basalt’, hard white spring (HWS) wheat ‘Dayn’ and ‘UI Platinum’, and soft white spring (SWS) wheat ‘Seahawk’ and ‘UI Stone’—were planted at two locations in Idaho in 2018–2020. Plots were arranged in a randomized complete block design with four replications with each cultivar evaluated at seven N rates (0, 50, 100, 150, 200, 250, and 300 kg N ha–1). The determination of the Pearson correlation coefficients revealed that all parameters were linearly correlated with yield except for SPAD at Feekes 5 and biomass weight at Feekes 10. Although estimation of in‐season grain protein remains a challenge, NDVI was strongly correlated with yield especially at Feekes 5. The accuracy of yield prediction was similar for all wheat classes. Comparable accuracy of yield estimation was achieved with GS NDVI and UAV NDVI. Both hand‐held and aerial‐based spectral measurements could be used to prescribe N rates to be applied during tiller formation when wheat yield can be optimized.

AAC Whitehead hard white spring wheat

AAC Whitehead, an awned hard white spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivar, combines high grain yield and good agronomic characteristics with excellent disease resistance. Based on 34 station-years of registration trial data from 2017 to 2019, AAC Whitehead had grain yield significantly higher than all of the check cultivars. AAC Whitehead had maturity similar to the checks, low lodging scores, and significantly shorter plant height than Snowstar and Whitehawk. AAC Whitehead had significantly lower test weight and higher kernel mass than than all the check cultivars. AAC Whitehead expressed resistance to the prevalent races of leaf, stripe and stem rust, and common bunt; and moderate resistance to Fusarium head blight (FHB). It also expressed tolerance to the orange wheat blossom midge. AAC Whitehead expresses quality attributes within the range of the check cultivars and is eligible for grades of Canada Western Hard White Spring wheat.

Novel Quantitative Trait Loci for Grain Cadmium Content Identified in Hard White Spring Wheat.

Cadmium (Cd) is a heavy metal that can cause a variety of adverse effects on human health, including cancer. Wheat comprises approximately 20% of the human diet worldwide; therefore, reducing the concentrations of Cd in wheat grain will have significant impacts on the intake of Cd in food products. The tests for measuring the Cd content in grain are costly, and the content is affected significantly by soil pH. To facilitate breeding for low Cd content, this study sought to identify quantitative trait loci (QTL) and associated molecular markers that can be used in molecular breeding. One spring wheat population of 181 doubled haploid lines (DHLs), which was derived from a cross between two hard white spring wheat cultivars “UI Platinum” (UIP) and “LCS Star” (LCS), was assessed for the Cd content in grain in multiple field trials in Southeast Idaho, United States. Three major QTL regions, namely, QCd.uia2-5B, QCd.uia2-7B, and QCd.uia2-7D, were identified on chromosomes 5B, 7B, and 7D, respectively. All genes in these three QTL regions were identified from the NCBI database. However, three genes related to the uptake and transport of Cd were used in the candidate gene analysis. The sequences of TraesCS5B02G388000 (TaHMA3) in the QCd.uia2-5B region and TraesCS7B02G320900 (TaHMA2) and TraesCS7B02G322900 (TaMSRMK3) in the QCd.uia2-7B region were compared between UIP and LCS. TaHMA2 on 7B is proposed for the first time as a candidate gene for grain Cd content in wheat. A KASP marker associated with this gene was developed and it will be further validated in near-isogenic lines via a gene-editing system in future studies.

Registration of ‘Flathead’ hard red winter wheat

Abstract‘Flathead’ (Reg. no. CV‐1164, PI 693237) hard red winter (HRW) wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) was developed and released by the Montana Agricultural Experiment Station in 2019. Flathead was derived from a composite of two very closely related single crosses of the predominant cultivar ‘Yellowstone’ to stripe rust resistant source PI 640431, a hard white spring wheat backcross derivative of WA007900 that carries stripe rust all‐stage resistance genes Yr5 and Yr15. Flathead was developed using a modified bulk breeding method and selected as an F5:6 head row after phenotypic selection for stripe rust resistance at Kalispell, MT. Flathead was tested under the experimental number MT1564 in Montana yield trials from 2015 to 2019. Flathead is a high‐yielding HRW wheat cultivar with early maturity, short stature, medium grain protein concentration, excellent milling and baking quality, and a high level of all‐stage resistance to predominant races of stripe rust. Flathead was released for its early maturity, improved stripe rust resistance, and improved grain yield relative to other Montana‐adapted early heading cultivars.

QTL identification and KASP marker development for productive tiller and fertile spikelet numbers in two high-yielding hard white spring wheat cultivars

Selecting high-yielding wheat cultivars with more productive tillers per unit area (PTN) combined with more fertile spikelets per spike (fSNS) is difficult. QTL mapping of these traits may aid understanding of this bottleneck and accelerate precision breeding for high yield via marker-assisted selection. PTN and fSNS were assessed in four to five trials from 2015 to 2017 in a doubled haploid population derived from two high-yielding cultivars “UI Platinum” and “SY Capstone.” Two QTL for PTN (QPTN.uia-4A and QPTN.uia-6A) and four QTL for fSNS (QfSNS.uia-4A, QfSNS.uia-5A, QfSNS.uia-6A, and QfSNS.uia-7A) were identified. The effects of the QTL were primarily additive and, therefore, pyramiding of multiple QTL may increase PTN and fSNS. However, the two QTL for PTN were positioned in the flanking regions for the two QTL for fSNS on chromosomes 4A and 6A, respectively, suggesting either possible pleiotropic effect of the same QTL or tightly linked QTL and explaining the difficulty of selecting both high PTN and fSNS in phenotypic selection. Kompetitive allele-specific PCR (KASP) markers for all identified QTL were developed and validated in a recombinant inbred line (RIL) population derived from the same two cultivars. In addition, KASP markers for three of the QTL (QPTN.uia-6A, QfSNS.uia-6A, and QfSNS.uia-7A) were further validated in a diverse spring wheat panel, indicating their usefulness under different genetic backgrounds. These KASP markers could be used by wheat breeders to select high PTN and fSNS.

Registration of ‘Dayn’ Hard White Spring Wheat

Hard white spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) production in the western United States is concentrated in regions of California, southern Idaho, and Washington, where resistance to stripe rust, high yield potential, minimal lodging, and desirable milling and baking qualities are preferred traits. Our objective was to develop a broadly adapted hard white spring wheat cultivar with a high level of resistance to stripe rust. ‘Dayn’ (Reg. No. CV‐1138, PI 666941) hard white spring wheat was developed by the Washington State University Agricultural Research Center and released for production in the Pacific Northwest. Dayn was derived from the cross ‘UI Lochsa’//‘Otis’*2/P9347A1‐2 by a modified‐pedigree bulk‐breeding method. Dayn was tested at sites across Washington and Idaho under the designations WA8123 and Dayn from 2010 to 2016. Dayn is a medium‐maturity, semidwarf cultivar broadly adapted to spring wheat production areas of the Pacific Northwest, with excellent yield potential in high‐moisture rainfed and irrigated production systems. Dayn was released on the basis of a combination of superior grain yield potential compared with contemporary commercial cultivars, a high level of resistance to stripe rust, and desirable milling and baking characteristics.

Effect of a gene for high dough strength on whole wheat baking parameters of hard white spring wheat

Background and objectivesWhole wheat flour has weaker mixing properties and produces bread with smaller loaf volume than bread made from white flour. The objective of this research was to test the effect of an allele for increased dough strength on the quality of bread made from whole wheat flour.FindingsAn allele for increased strength at the Gli‐B1 locus was introduced by backcrossing into four hard white spring wheat backgrounds. Whole wheat flour was used for a mill and bake analysis with near‐isogenic lines containing alternative alleles at Gli‐B1 grown in dryland and irrigated environments. The allele for strong gluten did not impact flour protein. However, the strong gluten allele resulted in increased dough strength and greater loaf volume in near‐isogenic lines from different genetic backgrounds and under multiple environments.ConclusionsThe allele for strong gluten at Gli‐B1 may be useful to improve the end‐use quality of hard white wheat for the purpose of making whole wheat leavened bread.Significance and NoveltyIntrogression of specific genes for gluten proteins may positively impact baking quality of whole wheat.

Hard white spring wheat line WS175 with a high level of resistance to Fusarium head blight

WS175 is a hard white spring wheat line with the parentage Snowbird/Sumai3 with a high level of resistance to Fusarium head blight (FHB) that was developed using marker-assisted selection. WS175 contains haplotypes similar to Sumai3 at the loci previously associated with FHB resistance, located on chromosomes 3B, 5A, and 6B. WS175 has similar maturity and protein content, but has lower grain yield, compared to Snowbird. The combination of white seed coat colour and very high level of FHB resistance will make WS175 a valuable parent for the improvement of FHB resistance in white spring wheat breeding programs.

Detection of Dual Heterodera avenae Resistance plus Tolerance Traits in Spring Wheat.

The cereal cyst nematode Heterodera avenae reduces wheat yield in the Pacific Northwest. Resistance and tolerance traits among spring wheat cultivars were poorly defined. Screening trials were conducted with 39 cultivars over a 2-year period in irrigated commercial fields that were infested by H. avenae. Comparisons were made between drill strips treated or untreated with aldicarb at the time of planting. Root sampling at the time of plant anthesis indicated that cultivars differed greatly in susceptibility to H. avenae, with numbers of newly produced white H. avenae females ranging from <5 to 70 per plant. Aldicarb reduced mean numbers of white females as much as 99% on the most susceptible cultivar ('Glee') and increased mean grain yield as much as 77% for the least tolerant cultivar ('Cataldo'). Density of H. avenae eggs in untreated soil following harvest was significantly higher than the density in aldicarb-treated plots. Agronomically acceptable traits of resistance plus tolerance were identified in one cultivar of hard red spring wheat ('WB-Rockland') and two cultivars of hard white spring wheat ('Klasic' and 'LCS Star') but in none of the soft white spring wheat cultivars. This is the first report of spring wheat cultivars expressing the dual traits of resistance plus tolerance to H. avenae.

Registration of ‘UI Platinum’ Hard White Spring Wheat

‘UI Platinum’ (Reg. No. CV‐1112, PI 672533) hard white spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) was developed by the Idaho Agricultural Experiment Station and released in 2014. UI Platinum was derived from the cross ‘Blanca Grande’ × ‘Jerome’ and tested under experimental numbers A01178S, IDO694, and IDO694C. UI Platinum was released for its improved grain yield and desirable bread and whole grain end‐use quality in irrigated and high rainfall production areas. Grain yield, end‐use quality, and resistance to stripe rust (caused by Puccinia striiformis Westend f. sp. tritici) of UI Platinum are better or equivalent to the three widely grown hard white spring cultivars ‘SnowCrest’, ‘WB Idamax’, and ‘WB Paloma’. UI Platinum is also 1 to 2 d earlier and 2 to 3 cm shorter than WB Idamax and WB Paloma. The University of Idaho Agricultural Experiment Station will maintain breeder and foundation seed of UI Platinum. This cultivar is protected under the US Plant Variety Protection Title V and all seed requests should be sent to the inventor/breeder during the period of protection. Registered and certified seed production and sales will be handled by LimaGrain Cereal Seeds and Lansing Trade Group LLC.

Repeatability of Mice Consumption Discrimination of Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) Varieties across Field Experiments and Mouse Cohorts.

Whole grain wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) foods can provide critical nutrients for health and nutrition in the human diet. Potential flavor differences among varieties can be examined using consumption discrimination of the house mouse (Mus musculus L.) as a model system. This study examines consistency and repeatability of the mouse model and potentially, wheat grain flavor. A single elimination tournament design was used to measure relative consumption preference for hard red spring and hard white spring varieties across all 3 experiments in combination with 2 mouse cohorts. Fifteen replicate mice were used in 24-h trials to examine differences in preference among paired wheat varieties until an overall "winner" was established as the most highly preferred variety of wheat. In all 3 experiment-cohort combinations, the same varieties were preferred as the "winner" of both the hard red spring and hard white spring wheat varieties, Hollis and BR 7030, respectively. Despite the consistent preference for these varieties across experiments, the degree (magnitude) to which the mice preferred these varieties varied across experiments. For the hard white spring wheat varieties, the small number of varieties and confounding effects of experiment and cohort limited our ability to accurately gauge repeatability. Conversely, for the hard red spring wheat varieties, consumption preferences were consistent across experiments and mice cohorts. The single-elimination tournament model was effective in providing repeatable results in an effort to more fully understand the mouse model system and possible flavor differences among wheat varieties. The mouse model system used here is effective in identifying wheat varieties that may be more or less desirable to humans in whole wheat foods. The system identifies consistent differences across different mouse cohorts and crop years.

Genetic characterization and expression analysis of wheat (Triticum aestivum) line 07OR1074 exhibiting very low polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activity.

Characterized novel mutations present at Ppo loci account for the substantial reduction of the total kernel PPO activity present in a putative null Ppo - A1 genetic background. Wheat (Triticum aestivum) polyphenol oxidase (PPO) contributes to the time-dependent discoloration of Asian noodles. Wheat contains multiple paralogous and orthologous Ppo genes, Ppo-A1, Ppo-D1, Ppo-A2, Ppo-D2, and Ppo-B2, expressed in wheat kernels. To date, wheat noodle color improvement efforts have focused on breeding cultivars containing Ppo-D1 and Ppo-A1 alleles conferring reduced PPO activity. A major impediment to wheat quality improvement is a lack of additional Ppo alleles conferring reduced kernel PPO. In this study, a previously reported very low PPO line, 07OR1074, was found to contain a novel allele at Ppo-A2 and null alleles at the Ppo-A1 and Ppo-D1 loci. To examine the impact of each mutation upon kernel PPO, populations were generated from crosses between 07OR1074 and the hard white spring wheat cultivars Choteau and Vida. Expression analysis using RNA-seq demonstrated no detectable Ppo-A1 transcripts in 07OR1074 while Ppo-D1 transcripts were present at less than 10% of that seen in Choteau and Vida. Novel markers specific for the Ppo-D1 and Ppo-A2 mutations discovered in 07OR1074, along with the Ppo-A1 STS marker, were used to screen segregating populations. Evaluation of lines indicated a substantial genotypic effect on PPO with Ppo-A1 and Ppo-D1 alleles contributing significantly to total PPO in both populations. These results show that the novel mutations in Ppo-A1 and Ppo-D1 present in 07OR1074 are both important to lowering overall wheat seed PPO activity and may be useful to produce more desirable and marketable wheat-based products.

Culm discolouration as an indicator of Fusarium pseudograminearum biomass

Disease severity of crown rot (Fusarium pseudograminearum) in winter cereal culms is typically assessed at harvest maturity by recording incidence of infection, whitehead production and discolouration of basal internodes. This study has investigated the relationship between the proportion of discolouration of individual internodes and the extent of host tissue colonisation by the pathogen, based on species-specific quantitative PCR (qPCR). Field-grown plots were used to compare visual ratings and F. pseudograminearum DNA content of eight cereal genotypes (six hard white spring wheats, one durum wheat and one barley) at 16 and 22 weeks after planting (WAP) in 2009 and 2013. At 16 WAP (post anthesis – early milk development) strong correlations were present between visual discolouration and fungal DNA content per unit of tissue weight for internodes one, two and three in 2009 and 2013. At 22 WAP (harvest maturity) these relationships were only significant for internode two in 2009 and internode three in the 2013 trial. Differences in both visual symptoms and fungal DNA content between the genotypes occurred at both sample times, but the most significant distinction between genotypes was at 16 WAP. We conclude that visible discolouration of cereal culms is a useful indicator of fungal biomass in culm tissue, as estimated by qPCR. Furthermore, assessment of diseased culms at 16 WAP provides a stronger correlation with fungal colonisation and discriminates more clearly between disease reactions in different host genotypes, in comparison to assessment at harvest maturity.

The house mouse (Mus musculus L.) exerts strong differential grain consumption preferences among hard red and white spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) varieties in a single-elimination tournament design.

Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) plays a central role in the health and nutrition of humans. Yet, little is known about possible flavor differences among different varieties. We have developed a model system using the house mouse (Mus musculus L.) to determine feeding preferences as a prelude to extending results to human sensory analysis. Here, we examine the application of a single-elimination tournament design to the analysis of consumption preferences of a set of hard red and hard white spring wheat varieties. A single-elimination tournament design in this case pairs 2 wheat varieties and only 1 of the 2 is advanced to further tests. Preferred varieties were advanced until an overall "winner" was identified; conversely, less desirable varieties were advanced such that an overall "loser" was identified. Hollis and IDO702 were the winner and loser, respectively, for the hard red varieties, and Clear White 515 and WA8123 were the winner and loser, respectively, for the hard white varieties. When using the more powerful protocol of 14 mice and a 4-d trial, differences in mean daily consumption preferences of 2 varieties were separated at P-values as small as 2 × 10(-8) . The single-elimination tournament design is an efficient means of identifying the most and least desirable varieties among a larger set of samples. One application for identifying the 2 extremes in preference within a group of varieties would be to use them as parents of a population to identify quantitative trait loci for preference.

Association Mapping of Hagberg Falling Number in Hard White Spring Wheat

ABSTRACTHagberg falling number (FN) is an important quality trait used for grain grading. The FN test can only be measured in the late stages of variety development when progeny are homogeneous and sufficient grain is available for testing. The FN is strongly influenced by environmental conditions during reproductive growth stages, including excess moisture, extreme temperature, and biotic and abiotic stresses. The objective of this study was to identify potential genomic regions that influence FN in a subset of 110 hard white spring (HWS) wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) accessions from the National Small Grain Collection (NSGC) using genome‐wide association mapping. The FN tests were conducted using grain flour samples of these accessions grown in five environments. A total of 1740 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers were used to detect SNP–FN associations using both the general linear model (GLM) and the mixed linear model (MLM). Thirteen quantitative trait loci (QTL) located in nine chromosomal regions were identified in both GLM and MLM approaches. Pyramiding these QTL could explain up to 45% of the phenotypic variation of FN. The present study identified several potential markers for use in marker‐assisted selection for high FN lines in wheat breeding.

Effect of Pre-Harvest Sprouting on Physicochemical Properties of Starch in Wheat.

Pre-harvest sprouting (PHS) in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) occurs when physiologically mature kernels begin germinating in the spike. The objective of this study was to provide fundamental information on physicochemical changes of starch due to PHS in Hard Red Spring (HRS) and Hard White Spring (HWS) wheat. The mean values of α-amylase activity of non-sprouted and sprouted wheat samples were 0.12 CU/g and 2.00 CU/g, respectively. Sprouted samples exhibited very low peak and final viscosities compared to non-sprouted wheat samples. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images showed that starch granules in sprouted samples were partially hydrolyzed. Based on High Performance Size Exclusion Chromatography (HPSEC) profiles, the starch from sprouted samples had relatively lower molecular weight than that of non-sprouted samples. Overall, high α-amylase activity caused changes to the physicochemical properties of the PHS damaged wheat.

Variability in Arabinoxylan, Xylanase Activity, and Xylanase Inhibitor Levels in Hard Spring Wheat

ABSTRACTArabinoxylans (AX), xylanase, and xylanase inhibitors have an important role in many cereal food processing applications. The effects of genotype, growing location, and their interaction (G × L) on AX, apparent xylanase activity, and apparent xylanase inhibition activity of Triticum aestivum xylanase inhibitor (TAXI) and xylanase inhibiting protein (XIP) were investigated for six hard red and six hard white spring wheat genotypes grown at three locations. Difference in total AX level among genotypes was not determined to a significant level by genotype. Instead, variability in total AX content was largely dependent on G × L. However, total AX content was significantly different between the two wheat classes. For bran xylanase activity, 25% of the variability could be attributed to G × L interaction. Moreover, there was significant difference between the bran xylanase activities in the two wheat classes. Bran TAXI activity and XIP activity were significantly different among genotypes. Genotype contributed 72% to the variability in TAXI activity and 39% in XIP. However, no significant difference was observed among the two wheat classes for TAXI or XIP activity. These results indicate that TAXI might be a stable parameter in segregating wheat genotypes with varying xylanase activity.

Effect of salt solutions applied during wheat conditioning on lipase activity and lipid stability of whole wheat flour

Lipolytic activity in whole wheat flour (WWF) is largely responsible for the loss in baking quality during storage. Metal ions affect the activity of seed lipases; however, no previous studies have applied this information to WWF in a way that reduces lipase activity, is practical for commercial manufacture, and uses common food ingredients. NaCl, KCl, Ca-propionate, or FeNa–ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (FeNa–EDTA) were applied to hard red winter (HRW) and hard white spring (HWS) wheats during conditioning as aqueous solutions at concentrations that would be acceptable in baked goods. Salts affected lipase activity to different degrees depending on the type of wheat used. Inhibition was greater in HRW compared with HWS WWF, probably due to higher lipase activity in HRW wheat. In HRW WWF, 1% NaCl (flour weight) reduced hydrolytic and oxidative rancidity and resulted in higher loaf volume and lower firmness than untreated WWF after 24weeks of storage.

Snowstar hard white spring wheat

Humphreys, D. G., Townley-Smith, T. F., Czarnecki, E., Lukow, O. M., McCallum, B., Fetch, T., Gilbert, J., Menzies, J., Brown, D. and Fox, S. L. 2013. Snowstar hard white spring wheat. Can. J. Plant Sci. 93: 143–148. Snowstar is a hard white spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) that represents an improvement in end-use quality specifications of the Canada Western Hard White Spring wheat class compared with Snowbird. Snowstar was evaluated in the Central Bread Wheat Cooperative Test in 2003, and the Hard White Wheat Cooperative Test in 2004 and 2005. Snowstar appears best adapted to the longer season wheat-growing areas of the Canadian prairies. Snowstar was generally lower yielding than the check cultivars. However, in Zone 1 (Manitoba and eastern Saskatchewan), Snowstar had 2% higher grain yield than CDC Teal (2003–2005) and 1.5% more than Snowhite475 (2004–2005). In 2003 and 2005 (Zone 1), Snowstar had grain yield approximately 3% more than Snowbird (data not shown). Snowstar was resistant or moderately resistant to the prevalent races of leaf rust and stem rust. Snowstar was susceptible to common bunt and loose smut. Snowstar was generally more resistant to Fusarium head blight than the check cultivars. Snowstar had higher test weight, flour yield and whiter flour as well as stronger dough compared with Snowbird.