A promising QTL QSns.sau-MC-3D.1 likely superior to WAPO1 for the number of spikelets per spike of wheat shows no adverse effects on yield-related traits

Jieguang Zhou; Wei Li; Yaoyao Yang; Xinlin Xie; Jiajun Liu; Yanling Liu; Huaping Tang; Mei Deng; Qiang Xu; Qiantao Jiang; Guoyue Chen; Pengfei Qi; Yunfeng Jiang; Guangdeng Chen; Yuanjiang He; Yong Ren; Liwei Tang; Lulu Gou; Youliang Zheng; Yuming Wei; Jian Ma

doi:10.1007/s00122-023-04429-4

A promising QTL QSns.sau-MC-3D.1 likely superior to WAPO1 for the number of spikelets per spike of wheat shows no adverse effects on yield-related traits

Theor Appl Genet. 2023 Aug 7;136(9):181. doi: 10.1007/s00122-023-04429-4.

Authors

Jieguang Zhou^#^{1

2}, Wei Li^#^{1

2}, Yaoyao Yang^{1

2}, Xinlin Xie^{1

2}, Jiajun Liu^{1

2}, Yanling Liu^{1

2}, Huaping Tang^{1

2}, Mei Deng^{1

2}, Qiang Xu^{1

2}, Qiantao Jiang^{1

2}, Guoyue Chen^{1

2}, Pengfei Qi^{1

2}, Yunfeng Jiang^{1

2}, Guangdeng Chen³, Yuanjiang He⁴, Yong Ren⁴, Liwei Tang⁵, Lulu Gou⁶, Youliang Zheng^{1

2}, Yuming Wei^{7

8}, Jian Ma^{9

10}

Affiliations

¹ State Key Laboratory of Crop Gene Exploration and Utilization in Southwest China, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China.
² Triticeae Research Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China.
³ College of Resources, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China.
⁴ Mianyang Academy of Agricultural Science, Crop Characteristic Resources Creation and Utilization Key Laboratory of Sichuan Providence, Mianyang, China.
⁵ Panzhihua Academy of Agricultural and Forestry Sciences, Panzhihua, China.
⁶ College of Agronomy, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China.
⁷ State Key Laboratory of Crop Gene Exploration and Utilization in Southwest China, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China. ymwei@sicau.edu.cn.
⁸ Triticeae Research Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China. ymwei@sicau.edu.cn.
⁹ State Key Laboratory of Crop Gene Exploration and Utilization in Southwest China, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China. jianma@sicau.edu.cn.
¹⁰ Triticeae Research Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China. jianma@sicau.edu.cn.

^# Contributed equally.

PMID: 37550493
DOI: 10.1007/s00122-023-04429-4

Abstract

A likely new locus QSns.sau-MC-3D.1 associated with SNS showing no negative effect on yield-related traits compared to WAPO1 was identified and validated in various genetic populations under multiple environments. The number of spikelets per spike (SNS) is one of the crucial factors determining wheat yield. Thus, improving our understanding of the genes that regulate SNS could help develop wheat varieties with higher yield. In this study, a recombinant inbred line (RIL) population (MC) containing 198 lines derived from a cross between msf and Chuannong 16 (CN16) was used to construct a genetic linkage map using the GenoBaits Wheat 16 K Panel. The genetic map contained 5,991 polymorphic SNP markers spanning 2,813.25 cM. A total of twelve QTL for SNS were detected, and two of them, i.e., QSns.sau-MC-3D.1 and QSns.sau-MC-7A, were stably expressed. QSns.sau-MC-3D.1 had high LOD values ranging from 4.99 to 11.06 and explained 9.71-16.75% of the phenotypic variation. Comparison of QSns.sau-MC-3D.1 with previously reported SNS QTL suggested that it is likely a novel one, and two kompetitive allele-specific PCR (KASP) markers were further developed. The positive effect of QSns.sau-MC-3D.1 was also validated in three biparental populations and a diverse panel containing 388 Chinese wheat accessions. Genetic analysis indicated that WHEAT ORTHOLOG OFAPO1 (WAPO1) was a candidate gene for QSns.sau-MC-7A. Pyramiding of QSns.sau-MC-3D.1 and WAP01 had a great additive effect increasing SNS by 7.10%. Correlation analysis suggested that QSns.sau-MC-3D.1 was likely independent of effective tiller number, plant height, spike length, anthesis date, and thousand kernel weight. However, the H2 haplotype of WAPO1 may affect effective tiller number and plant height. These results indicated that utilization of QSns.sau-MC-3D.1 should be given priority for wheat breeding. Geographical distribution analysis showed that the positive allele of QSns.nsau-MC-3D.1 was dominant in most wheat-producing regions of China, and it has been positively selected among modern cultivars released in China since the 1940s. Gene prediction, qRT-PCR analysis, and sequence alignment suggested that TraesCS3D03G0216800 may be the candidate gene of QSns.nsau-MC-3D.1. Taken together, these results enrich our understanding of the genetic basis of wheat SNS and will be useful for fine mapping and cloning of the gene underlying QSns.sau-MC-3D.1.

MeSH terms

Chromosome Mapping / methods
Phenotype
Plant Breeding
Quantitative Trait Loci*
Triticum* / genetics