Mangini G, Nigro D, Curci P L, Simeone R, Blanco A
Institute of Biosciences and Bioresources, National Research Council, Bari, Italy.
Department of Soil, Plant and Food Sciences, Genetics and Plant Breeding Section, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy.
Plant Genome. 2025 Mar;18(1):e20562. doi: 10.1002/tpg2.20562.
Wheat breeders are constantly looking for genes and alleles that increase grain yield. One key strategy is finding new genetic resources in the wild and domesticated gene pools of related species with genes affecting grain size. This study explored a natural population of Triticum turgidum (L.) phenotyped for grain weight and size-related traits in three field trials and genotyped with single nucleotide polymorphism markers spread across the entire genome. The genome-wide association study analysis identified 39 quantitative trait loci (QTL) for 1000-kernel weight, grain length, grain width, grain area, and grain aspect consistent in at least two and across environments. Interestingly, 23 QTL for grain-related traits were grouped in nine QTL clusters located on chromosomes 1A, 1B, 2B, 3B, 4B, 5A, and 6B, respectively. Moreover, most of these QTL support findings from previous QTL analyses and are further strengthened by the known functions of the genes (such as BG2, GS5, and SRS3) and their similarity to genes in other cereal species. QTL clusters harbored genes that participate in various metabolic processes potentially involved in seed development, phytohormone signaling, sugar transport, mitogen-activated protein kinases signaling, and transcriptional factors (such as MADS-box and WRKY). Identifying loci controlling grain-related traits will provide information on the genetic resources available to breeders to improve grain yield, as well as the opportunity to develop close gene markers to be used in marker-assisted selection programs.
小麦育种者一直在寻找能够提高谷物产量的基因和等位基因。一种关键策略是在相关物种的野生和驯化基因库中寻找具有影响粒大小基因的新遗传资源。本研究在三个田间试验中对普通小麦（Triticum turgidum (L.)）的一个自然群体进行了粒重和粒大小相关性状的表型分析，并用分布于整个基因组的单核苷酸多态性标记进行了基因分型。全基因组关联研究分析确定了与千粒重、粒长、粒宽、粒面积和粒长宽比相关的39个数量性状位点（QTL），这些位点在至少两个环境中是一致的。有趣的是，与粒相关性状的23个QTL分别位于1A、1B、2B、3B、4B、5A和6B染色体上的9个QTL簇中。此外，这些QTL中的大多数支持先前QTL分析的结果，并且由于基因（如BG2、GS5和SRS3）的已知功能及其与其他谷类物种中基因的相似性而得到进一步加强。QTL簇包含参与各种代谢过程的基因，这些过程可能与种子发育、植物激素信号传导、糖运输、丝裂原活化蛋白激酶信号传导以及转录因子（如MADS-box和WRKY）有关。鉴定控制粒相关性状的位点将为育种者提供有关可用于提高谷物产量的遗传资源的信息，以及开发用于标记辅助选择计划的紧密基因标记的机会。
