Quality Traits Of Durum Wheat Research Articles

Response to heat stress and glutenins allelic variation effects on quality traits in durum wheat

AbstractIn the context of climate change, high temperature is one of the main abiotic stresses hampering durum wheat production. Through the characterization of an international panel of 271 genotypes, this study investigates the effects of heat stress on quality traits and identifies which glutenins (Glu‐1, Glu‐2 and Glu‐3 loci) alleles are the most important to obtain high gluten strength under optimal and high temperature conditions. In parallel with the wide variability observed in the panel, the genotype and environmental effects, including their interaction, showed highly significant effect on test weight, thousand kernel weight, grain protein content (GPC), sodium dodecyl sulphate sedimentation volume (SDSS) and SDSS index. Only one genotype maintained test weight and thousand kernel weight under heat‐stress conditions whereas for GPC, SDSS and SDSS index, most genotypes increased values. All Glu loci had significant effects on grain protein content (with the exception of Glu‐B2), SDSS and SDSS Index. None of the Glu loci interacted with the environment or years under study. Among the identified alleles, Glu‐A1b, Glu‐B1an, Glu‐B1a, Glu‐B2a, Glu‐A3a.x, Glu‐A3d, Glu‐B3a and Glu‐B3ax (including the LMW‐2 pattern) were associated with high values for SDSS and SDSS Index. Genotypes identified in this study, with good performances under optimal and high temperature growing conditions, could be useful for breeding programs. The non‐interaction of the Glu loci with the environment facilitates the introgression of desired alleles regardless of high growing temperatures.

The interactions of Rht15 and Rht1 alleviate some of their negative effects on agronomic traits in durum wheat

The application of dwarfing genes in wheat breeding effectively reduced plant height, improved lodging resistance and increased the harvest index. Although the gibberellin-responsive (GAR) dwarf gene Rht15 did not negatively affect coleoptile length or root traits while reducing the plant height, it reduced the yield plant−1. The gibberellin-insensitive (GAI) dwarf gene Rht1 can increase wheat yield under favorable conditions, but it reduces coleoptile length and affects root traits. This study was conducted to investigate whether the interaction of Rht15 and Rht1 can alleviate their negative effects. To analyze the interaction of Rht15 and Rht1, field experiments were conducted with the F5, F6 and F7 lines of the four genotypes, Rht15+Rht1, Rht15, Rht1 and tall lines detected using Rht15 and Rht1 molecular markers, derived from Durox (Rht15) and Kronos (Rht1), by comparing their effects on seedling traits, plant height and internode length, lodging resistance, flag leaf, yield and quality traits in durum wheat. The results showed that although the interaction of Rht15 and Rht1 did not overcome the inhibitory effect of Rht1 on coleoptile growth, it alleviated the negative effect of Rht1 on maximum root length (+14.8%). The grain yield plant−1 (+7.2%) of the Rht15 lines was improved under the action of Rht1 but was still lower than that of the Rht1 lines (−12.7%). The Rht15+Rht1 lines had the strongest effect on reducing plant height and center of gravity height (−42.2% and −41.5%), which significantly improved lodging resistance (+175%). The flag leaf area (+97.4%) and SPAD value (+11.6%, +9.6% and +10.6%) were also significantly increased. In addition, the coleoptile length of the Rht15 lines was not significantly different from that of the tall lines, the plant height and center of gravity height were significantly reduced (−30.5% and −34.0%), and the lodging resistance was significantly increased (+176.8%). The Rht1 lines had increased grain yield (+12.7%) due to an increased 1000-kernel weight (+12.9%) compared to the tall lines. In conclusion, the combination of Rht15 and Rht1 alleles enhanced the advantages and partially alleviated the defects in some traits when compared to the individual alleles, but the grain yield plant−1 was still lower than the Rht1 lines. This reflected the limitations of Rht15, and further confirmed the yield advantages of Rht1.

Genotype-by-environment interaction for grain yield and quality traits in durum wheat: Identification of ideotypes adapted to the Spanish region of Castile and León

Understanding how environmental conditions affect grain yield and quality in the Mediterranean basin, characterised by high interannual climate variations, is essential for the successful selection of durum wheat varieties better adapted to local agro-environments. We evaluated the effects of the genotype-by-environment interaction on grain yield and quality traits in a multi-environment field trial, across five consecutive growing seasons, to identify the varieties with consistently specific and broader adaptation to prevailing and limiting conditions in the Spanish region of Castile and León. Fourteen commercial varieties were tested in thirteen environments, including different management practises (irrigation, late sowing and nitrogen fertilisation). AMMI, Finlay-Wilkinson and GGE models were used to study the genotype-by-environment interaction, showing that the environment was the main factor affecting yield and grain quality traits. The genotypic and genotype-by-environment interaction effects were also significant for most traits. We identified the varieties with higher grain yield and quality or greater stability across environments. However, there are no varieties that perform better for all traits. We found the yellow pigment concentration as heritable trait, while δ13C, grain yield and vitreousness had the lowest genetic control. We conclude that the Castile and León region is a suitable agro-environment for durum wheat under current and limiting climatic conditions, although the selection of varieties and management practises is necessary to maximise profitability depending on the final end-use of the grain. This study provides relevant information for future durum wheat breeding programmes that take into account crop's stability and resilience to multiple environmental factors.

On-farm assessment of yield and quality traits in durum wheat.

Durum wheat is key source of calories and nutrients for many regions of the world. Demand for it is predicted to increase. Further efforts are therefore needed to develop new cultivars adapted to different future scenarios. Developing a novel cultivar takes, on average, 10 years and advanced lines are tested during the process, in general, under standardized conditions. Although evaluating candidate genotypes for commercial release under different on-farm conditions is a strategy that is strongly recommended, its application for durum wheat and particularly for quality traits has been limited. This study evaluated the grain yield and quality performance of eight different genotypes across five contrasting farmers' fields over two seasons. Combining different analysis strategies, the most outstanding and stable genotypes were identified. The analyses revealed that some traits were mainly explained by the genotype effect (thousand kernel weight, flour sodium dodecyl sulfate sedimentation volume, and flour yellowness), others by the management practices (yield and grain protein content), and others (test weight) by the year effect. In general, yield showed the highest range of variation across genotypes, management practices, and years and test weight the narrowest range. Flour yellowness was the most stable trait across management conditions, while yield-related traits were the most unstable. We also determined the most representative and discriminative field conditions, which is a beneficial strategy when breeders are constrained in their ability to develop multi-environment experiments. We concluded that assessing genotypes in different farming systems is a valid and complementary strategy for on-station trials for determining the performance of future commercial cultivars in heterogeneous environments to improve the breeding process and resources.

Screening of the Effect of Mutation Breeding On Biotic Stress Tolerance and Quality Traits of Durum Wheat

Screening of the Effect of Mutation Breeding On Biotic Stress Tolerance and Quality Traits of Durum Wheat

A consensus map for quality traits in durum wheat based on genome-wide association studies and detection of ortho-meta QTL across cereal species.

The present work focused on the identification of durum wheat QTL hotspots from a collection of genome-wide association studies, for quality traits, such as grain protein content and composition, yellow color, fiber, grain microelement content (iron, magnesium, potassium, selenium, sulfur, calcium, cadmium), kernel vitreousness, semolina, and dough quality test. For the first time a total of 10 GWAS studies, comprising 395 marker-trait associations (MTA) on 57 quality traits, with more than 1,500 genotypes from 9 association panels, were used to investigate consensus QTL hotspots representative of a wide durum wheat genetic variation. MTA were found distributed on all the A and B genomes chromosomes with minimum number of MTA observed on chromosome 5B (15) and a maximum of 45 on chromosome 7A, with an average of 28 MTA per chromosome. The MTA were equally distributed on A (48%) and B (52%) genomes and allowed the identification of 94 QTL hotspots. Synteny maps for QTL were also performed in Zea mays, Brachypodium, and Oryza sativa, and candidate gene identification allowed the association of genes involved in biological processes playing a major role in the control of quality traits.

Investigating Stability Parameters for Agronomic and Quality Traits of Durum Wheat Grown under Mediterranean Conditions

Durum wheat in the Mediterranean grows under rainfed conditions, where unpredictable climatic conditions result in substantial variation in grain yield and quality. Climate change intensifies Genotype × Environment interactions and urges breeders to escalate their efforts to breed cultivars combining high performance and stability. The current study aimed to appraise the relations between twelve stability parameters derived by different statistical models for yield, yield-related and quality traits of durum wheat grown under Mediterranean conditions. Stability parameters were estimated in two experiments of twenty and sixteen cultivars, respectively. The parameters were categorized into three groups. Group A included Additive Main Effect and Multiplicative Interaction (AMMI)-derived parameters (ASV and AWAI), Wrickle’s ecovalence (Wi), Shukla’s stability variance (σ2), and the nonparametric parameters Si(1) and Si(2). Group B included regression parameters (bi, Bi_A), Coefficient of Variance (CV), and Superiority measure (Pi). Group C encompassed deviation from regression parameters (s2di-DJi) when the heterogeneity of the slope was significant. Correlations between stability parameters for different traits and the between stability parameters and the traits per se were modest. Stability parameters of Group B had higher repeatability for grain yield. The results of the present study contribute to the adjustment of durum wheat breeding strategies.

Effect of Kernel Size and Its Potential Interaction with Genotype on Key Quality Traits of Durum Wheat.

This study was conducted to evaluate the influence of kernel size and its potential interaction with genotype on durum wheat quality with emphases on kernel physical characteristics, milling performance, and color-related quality parameters. Wheat samples of seven genotypes, selected from the 2018 Canadian durum variety registration trial, were segregated into large (LK), medium (MK), and small-sized kernels (SK). In general, the kernel size greatly affected the durum wheat milling performance. Within a given size fraction, a strong impact of genotype was shown on the test weight of SK and the milling yields of MK and LK. Particularly, the MK fraction, segregated from the genotypes with superior milling quality, had a higher semolina yield than LK from the genotypes of inferior milling quality, inferring the importance of intrinsic physicochemical properties of durum kernels in affecting milling quality. SK exhibited inferior milling quality regardless of the genotypes selected. A strong impact of genotype was shown for the total yellow pigment (TYP) content and yellowness of semolina, while the kernel size had a significant impact on the brightness and redness of the semolina and pasta. Despite SK possessing much higher TYP, the semolina and pasta prepared from SK were lower in brightness and yellowness but with elevated redness.

Stability Analysis for Quality Traits in Durum Wheat (Triticum durum Desf) Varieties under Central Ethiopia

Stability Analysis for Quality Traits in Durum Wheat (Triticum durum Desf) Varieties under Central Ethiopia

Grain Yield and Quality Traits of Durum Wheat (Triticum durum Desf.) Treated with Seaweed- and Humic Acid-Based Biostimulants

The ongoing climate change with increasingly frequent, prolonged drought during the vegetation period is a significant factor affecting production of field crops, including durum wheat (Triticum durum Desf.). One of the approaches to effectively protect plants from drought stress is the foliar application of bioactive substances and selection of appropriate genetic material for specific location conditions. In this study, the impacts of brown seaweed based and humic substance-based biostimulants were researched. The positive impact of bioactive substances on grain yield has been reported in many studies. However, the impact on quality components is questionable and not well investigated. In this study, a highly significant (α < 0.01) positive impact of bioactive substances on grain yield was confirmed. The highest grain yield was observed on the fertilized variant with humic substances (4.03 t ha−1). When compared to control, there was a high statistically significant difference. The biofertilization impact on quality components was weakly positive in most cases, although without statistical significance (α > 0.05). The study included evaluating the interactions biofertilization–weather conditions (BW) and biofertilization–variety (BV). According to the ANOVA results, a highly significant impact in BW on grain yield was found, and in BV, a highly significant impact on protein content, falling number, and gluten content (α < 0.01) and significant impact on grain yield and vitreousness were found (α < 0.05). Correlation analysis among the monitored parameters was performed. The results that we obtained from the multi-annual field research may contribute to sustainable arable farming in areas with a lack of rainfall during vegetation. By foliar application of bioactive substances, we achieved a significant increase in the yield of durum wheat while maintaining or increasing the quality parameters of the grain.

The dwarf gene Rht15 improved lodging resistance but differentially affected agronomic and quality traits in durum wheat

• This is the first study on agronomic and quality traits of Rht15 in durum wheat. • Rht15 significantly reduced plant height by shortening the cell length. • Rht15 improved lodging resistance and some quality traits. • Rht15 had a certain negative effect on yield traits. The dwarfing gene Rht15 in durum wheat is considered a GA-responsive dwarfing gene. To explore the use of Rht15 in durum wheat improvement, the effects of Rht15 on plant height, internode characteristics, lodging resistance, yield components and quality traits were evaluated by the Rht15 dwarf and tall F 3:4 , F 4:5 and F 5:6 lines derived from reciprocal crosses between “Durox” ( Rht15 ) and “Langdon” ( rht15 ). Rht15 significantly reduced plant height by 31.5 % on average by shortening the cell length. Furthermore, the diameter and wall thickness of internodes were significantly increased by Rht15 , which decreased the height center of gravity (35.4 %), increased the mechanical strength of the basal internode (41.8 %), and finally improved the lodging resistance index (153.7 %). Rht15 reduced biomass plant −1 (-13.7 %), 1000-kernel weight (-12.9 %), grain number per spike (-2.3 %) and grain yield plant −1 (-10.3 %). However, Rht15 increased the grain protein content (8.7 %), wet gluten content (9.2 %) and starch content (2.3 %). In conclusion, Rht15 significantly reduced plant height and improved lodging resistance and some quality traits but had negative effects on some yield traits. Nonetheless, Rht15 has opened up an opportunity as an alternative dwarfing gene in wheat breeding and improvement.

Influence of variety and growing location on carotenoid and vitamin E contents of 184 different durum wheat varieties (Triticum turgidum ssp. durum) in Germany

The influence of variety and growing location on the carotenoid and vitamin E content of 184 different varieties of durum wheat of each of the German locations Hohenheim and Seligenstadt was analyzed by HPLC. In addition, the yellow pigment content was measured as b value using a chroma meter. The results showed that the measured parameters vary both between sites and varieties, with higher variance between varieties. Finally, we elaborated a high genetic variance and heritability for lutein and total carotenoids and no negative correlations to important agronomic and quality traits in durum wheat. Thus, future durum breeding could produce varieties with improved agronomy, quality, and increased contents of lutein and total carotenoids. Vitamin E has only a minor importance due to the low contents in durum wheat. Due to the high correlation between the b value and the total carotenoid content, the b value could be used as a cheap and rapid method to initially screen high numbers of breeding lines before testing individual promising breeding lines with HPLC, warranting efficient and accurate selection of durum lines with increased carotenoid content.

A small‐scale rapid screening protocol for quality traits of durum wheat

AbstractBackground and objectivesDurum breeders are interested in screening early‐generation lines for quality traits to eliminate low‐quality lines as soon as possible. However, this requires minimal sample usage and simple and discriminating tests. Due to insufficient quantities of sample available in the early stages of breeding process, a reliable and comprehensive evaluation of wheat functionality is needed. Moreover, this problem is further aggravated by the need to assess the quality of huge number of lines. This study describes a procedure to evaluate durum grain and wholemeal for key quality traits using rapid methods that have minimal sample requirements.FindingsIn this study, three new methods were developed to allow screening from limited amounts of grain (120 g). A new near‐infrared calibration to measure wet gluten from grain, an accurate prediction of semolina yellowness using wholemeal and a milling protocol using a Quadrumat Junior mill to predict Buhler semolina yield. Data provided by these new methods and other data proposed can be used to remove underperforming lines to reduce sample numbers for the next stage of yield trials and more detailed and costly testing for quality.ConclusionsTo improve the efficiency of selecting for quality in a durum breeding program where sample size is limited, new methods are described and validated on breeder's populations for quickly assessing wet gluten, yellowness, and milling potential.Significance and noveltyA protocol to rapidly evaluate lines for key grain characteristics, wet gluten, yellowness, and milling potential to supplement NIR and small‐scale dough tests is described from 120 g of grain which can be achieved in less than 1 hr/sample. This should assist durum breeders to efficiently cull lines showing inferior quality to check varieties.

Identification of chromosomal regions in the genetic control of quality traits in durum wheat (Triticumturgidum L.) from the Fertile Crescent

Durum wheat genetic resources from Turkey and Syria are expected to harbor novel alleles for most traits that are of interest to breeders and consumers. However, there have not been sufficient efforts to investigate the genetic structure of this gene pool. In this study, cultivar Kunduru-1149 (selected from one of the unique landraces, Kunduru) from Anatolia was crossed with a Syrian cultivar, Cham1, to produce recombinant inbred lines (RILs) for quantitative trait locus (QTL) analysis. The RIL population was genotyped with simple sequence repeats, amplified fragment length polymorphism, and seed storage protein markers and analyzed for 9 different important quality traits of durum wheat in 8 different environments in Turkey, Syria, and Lebanon. We identified 59 QTLs of various quality and rheology traits using single-marker analysis. Some of the QTLs were also reported in earlier studies; however, new major QTLs were also identified in our QTL mapping population. In future studies, after validation, the markers linked with these QTLs can be used in marker-assisted durum wheat breeding.

Hybrid durum wheat: heterosis of grain yield and quality traits and genetic architecture of anther extrusion.

Hybrid durum has a promising yield potential coupled with good quality, but the efficiency of hybrid seed production must be improved. Hybrid breeding is a tremendous success story in many crops, but has not yet made a breakthrough in wheat, mainly due to inefficient hybrid seed production. In this study, we investigated the heterosis for grain yield and important quality traits in durum wheat of 33 hybrids built up from 24 parental lines, as well as the variation in anther extrusion and its genetic architecture in a vast collection of Central European elite durum lines. Average mid-parent heterosis for grain yield was 5.8%, and the best hybrids had a more than one ton per hectare higher grain yield than the best line cultivars. Furthermore, hybrids had a higher grain yield than lines at a given level of protein content or sedimentation value, underpinning their potential for a sustainable agriculture. However, seed set in our experimental hybrid seed production was low. We therefore evaluated 315 elite durum lines for visual anther extrusion, which revealed a large genetic variance and a heritability of 0.66. Results from association mapping suggest a mainly quantitative inheritance of visual anther extrusion with few putative QTL being identified, the largest one explaining less than 20% of the genotypic variance. Genome-wide prediction taking the four largest putative QTL into account yielded a mean cross-validated prediction ability of 0.55. Consequently, breeding for improved male floral characteristics is feasible in durum wheat, but should be mainly based on phenotypic selection.

The influence of seeding rate and micronutrients foliar application on grain yield and quality traits and micronutrients of durum wheat

A field experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of seeding rate and foliar application of micronutrients and their synergistic effects on grain yield and quality traits of durum wheat. A split-split plot design was used with varieties assigned to the main plot, micronutrient to the sub plots and seeding rates to the sub-sub plots. Varieties were sown at seeding rate of 100, 125, 150 and 175 kg ha−1 and treated with ZnSO4 and FeSO4, applied foliarly at 25 kg ha−1 during anthesis stage. Significant differences among seeding rates, varieties and micronutrients and some of their interactions were observed. Higher seeding rate increased grain and biomass yields by 23.5% and 21.5%, respectively. Increasing seed rate from 100 to 175 kg ha−1 has reduced protein, gluten and Zeleny contents by 8.7%, 10.8% and 9.1%, respectively. FeSO4 × seeding rate interaction improved quality traits better than ZnSO4 interacted with seeding rate. Application of ZnSO4 and FeSO4 has increased Zn and Fe concentrations in the harvested grain. Agronomic biofortification could be an approach to overcome health problem related to Zn and Fe deficiency if used in combination with crop varieties with known genetic response to applied micro fertilizers.

Genomic selection for grain yield and quality traits in durum wheat

The prediction accuracies of genomic selection depend on several factors, including the genetic architecture of target traits, the number of traits considered at a given time, and the statistical models. Here, we assessed the potential of single-trait (ST) and multi-trait (MT) genomic prediction models for durum wheat on yield and quality traits using a breeding panel (BP) of 170 varieties and advanced breeding lines, and a doubled-haploid (DH) population of 154 lines. The two populations were genotyped with the Infinium iSelect 90K SNP assay and phenotyped for various traits. Six ST-GS models (RR-BLUP, G-BLUP, BayesA, BayesB, Bayesian LASSO, and RKHS) and three MT prediction approaches (MT-BayesA, MT-Matrix, and MT-SI approaches which use economic selection index as a trait value) were applied for predicting yield, protein content, gluten index, and alveograph measures. The ST prediction accuracies ranged from 0.5 to 0.8 for the various traits and models and revealed comparable prediction accuracies for most of the traits in both populations, except BayesA and BayesB, which better predicted gluten index, tenacity, and strength in the DH population. The MT-GS models were more accurate than the ST-GS models only for grain yield in the BP. Using BP as a training set to predict the DH population resulted in poor predictions. Overall, all the six ST-GS models appear to be applicable for GS of yield and gluten strength traits in durum wheat, but we recommend the simple computational models RR-BLUP or G-BLUP for predicating single trait and MT-SI for predicting yield and protein simultaneously.

Combining ability analysis of some yield and quality traits in durum wheat (Triticum durum Desf

Combining ability analysis of some yield and quality traits in durum wheat (<i>Triticum</i> <i>durum</i> Desf

Effects of conventional and organic farming systems on bio-agronomic and quality traits of durum wheat under Mediterranean conditions

The effects of conventional and organic farming systems on 10 durum wheat (Triticum durum Desf.) cultivars were studied over a 3year period (2012-2014) in Foggia (southern Italy). The aim was to compare their agronomic and qualitative characteristics, and to test their adaptability and stability to these different management practices in terms of seed yield. The experiment followed a splitplot design, with three replications in each year. Six traits were investigated: heading time, plant height, seed yield, test weight, 1000seed weight, and protein content. The data from the analysis of variance indicated that there were significant differences between years, cropping systems, and genotypes for all of these characteristics. The mean seed yield for the organic system was 40% lower than that of the conventional system. The wheat quality was affected by cultivation management, with protein content 19% higher under the conventional system. The highly significant differences found for the genotype  environment interaction of the seed yield indicated the possibility to choose the stable genotypes across environments. Three univariate (b, S 2 d, R 2 ) and two multivariate (additive main effect and multiplicative interaction stability value, yield stability index) stability statistics were used. Based on these analyses, the varieties ‘Iride’ and ‘Saragolla’ showed high-stability responses and good seed yield under both farming systems. Therefore, these can be recommended for less fertile environments, such as organic farming systems in Mediterranean areas. On the contrary, the genotype ‘Anco Marzio’ was well adapted for high seed yield in more fertile environments.

Quality Characteristics of Wholemeal Flour and Bread from Durum Wheat (Triticum turgidum L subsp. durum Desf.) after Field Treatment with Plant Water Extracts.

The use of selected plant water extracts to control pests and weeds is gaining growing attention in organic and sustainable agriculture, but the effects that such extracts may exert on the quality aspects of durum wheat are still unexplored. In 2014, 5 plant water extracts (Artemisia arborescens, Euphorbia characias, Rhus coriaria, Thymus vulgaris, Lantana camara) were prepared and distributed on durum wheat cv Valbelice to evaluate their potential herbicidal effects. After crop harvesting, the major physicochemical and technological parameters of wholemeal flours obtained from each treatment were measured and compared with those from chemical weeding and untreated controls. A baking test was also performed to evaluate the breadmaking quality. In wholemeal flours obtained after the treatment with plant extracts protein and dry gluten content were higher than in control and chemical weeding. Wholemeal flours obtained after chemical weeding reached the highest Mixograph parameters, and that from durum wheat treated with R. coriaria extract demonstrated a very high α-amylase activity. We concluded that the treatments with plant water extracts may influence many quality traits of durum wheat. This occurrence must be taken into account in overall decisions concerning the use of plant extracts in pest and weed management practice.