Discovering consensus genomic regions in wheat for root-related traits by QTL meta-analysis.

Root system architecture is crucial for wheat adaptation to drought stress, but phenotyping for root traits in breeding programmes is difficult and time-consuming owing to the belowground characteristics of the system. Identifying quantitative trait loci (QTLs) and linked molecular markers and using marker-assisted selection is an efficient way to increase selection efficiency and boost genetic gains in breeding programmes. Hundreds of QTLs have been identified for different root traits in the last few years.

From landraces to improved cultivars: Assessment of genetic diversity and population structure of Mediterranean wheat using SNP markers.

Assessment of genetic diversity and population structure in crops is essential for breeding and germplasm conservation. A collection of 354 bread wheat genotypes, including Mediterranean landraces and modern cultivars representative of the ones most widely grown in the Mediterranean Basin, were characterized with 11196 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers. Total genetic diversity (HT) and polymorphic information content (PIC) were 0.

Pasta-Making Quality QTLome From Mediterranean Durum Wheat Landraces.

In order to identify genome regions related to pasta-making quality traits, association mapping (AM) was performed in a set of 165 durum wheat landraces from 21 Mediterranean countries. The collection was genotyped using 1149 DArT markers and 872 of them with a known genetic position were used for AM. The collection was grown in north-east Spain during 3 years.

Optimizing Winter Wheat Resilience to Climate Change in Rain Fed Crop Systems of Turkey and Iran.

Erratic weather patterns associated with increased temperatures and decreasing rainfall pose unique challenges for wheat breeders playing a key part in the fight to ensure global food security. Within rain fed winter wheat areas of Turkey and Iran, unusual weather patterns may prevent attaining maximum potential increases in winter wheat genetic gains. This is primarily related to the fact that the yield ranking of tested genotypes may change from one year to the next.

Changes in duration of developmental phases of durum wheat caused by breeding in Spain and Italy during the 20th century and its impact on yield.

Background And Aims: Although the apical development of wheat has been widely described, studies analysing how genetic breeding over the 20th century influenced the developmental phases and its consequences on yield generation are lacking, especially for durum wheat under field conditions in Mediterranean environments. The aims of this study were to analyse the effects of breeding in Spain and Italy on crop development during the last century, to determine whether or not breeding significantly altered the developmental phases between sowing and maturity, and to evaluate the importance of each phase in determining the number of grains per spike of durum wheat (Triticum durum) cultivars representing the germplasm grown throughout the 20th century in Spain and Italy.

Methods: Eight field experiments were carried out during 4 years in two contrasting latitudes (Lleida and Granada, Spain).