Identifying the genetic control of salinity tolerance in the bread wheat landrace Mocho de Espiga Branca.

Salinity tolerance in bread wheat is frequently reported to be associated with low leaf sodium (Na+) concentrations. However, the Portuguese landrace, Mocho de Espiga Branca, accumulates significantly higher leaf Na+ but has comparable salinity tolerance to commercial bread wheat cultivars. To determine the genetic loci associated with the salinity tolerance of this landrace, an F2 mapping population was developed by crossing Mocho de Espiga Branca with the Australian cultivar Gladius.

Genetic factors associated with favourable pollinator traits in the wheat cultivar Piko.

Hybrid breeding in wheat has the potential to boost yields. An efficient hybrid seed production system requires elite pollinators; however, such germplasm is limited among modern cultivars. Piko, a winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.

Novel Alleles for Combined Drought and Heat Stress Tolerance in Wheat.

Drought and heat waves commonly co-occur in many wheat-growing regions causing significant crop losses. The identification of stress associated quantitative trait loci, particularly those for yield, is problematic due to their association with plant phenology and the high genetic × environment interaction. Here we studied a panel of 315 diverse, spring type accessions of bread wheat () in pots in a semi-controlled environment under combined drought and heat stress over 2 years.

Effects of Rht-B1 and Ppd-D1 loci on pollinator traits in wheat.

Elite wheat pollinators are critical for successful hybrid breeding. We identified Rht-B1 and Ppd-D1 loci affecting multiple pollinator traits and therefore represent major targets for improving hybrid seed production. Hybrid breeding has a great potential to significantly boost wheat yields.

Genome-wide association mapping of grain yield in a diverse collection of spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) evaluated in southern Australia.

Wheat landraces, wild relatives and other 'exotic' accessions are important sources of new favorable alleles. The use of those exotic alleles is facilitated by having access to information on the association of specific genomic regions with desirable traits. Here, we conducted a genome-wide association study (GWAS) using a wheat panel that includes landraces, synthetic hexaploids and other exotic wheat accessions to identify loci that contribute to increases in grain yield in southern Australia.

Optical and physical mapping with local finishing enables megabase-scale resolution of agronomically important regions in the wheat genome.

Background: Numerous scaffold-level sequences for wheat are now being released and, in this context, we report on a strategy for improving the overall assembly to a level comparable to that of the human genome.

Results: Using chromosome 7A of wheat as a model, sequence-finished megabase-scale sections of this chromosome were established by combining a new independent assembly using a bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC)-based physical map, BAC pool paired-end sequencing, chromosome-arm-specific mate-pair sequencing and Bionano optical mapping with the International Wheat Genome Sequencing Consortium RefSeq v1.0 sequence and its underlying raw data.

A DNA-based method for studying root responses to drought in field-grown wheat genotypes.

Root systems are critical for water and nutrient acquisition by crops. Current methods measuring root biomass and length are slow and labour-intensive for studying root responses to environmental stresses in the field. Here, we report the development of a method that measures changes in the root DNA concentration in soil and detects root responses to drought in controlled environment and field trials.

Molecular mapping of qualitative and quantitative loci for resistance to Leptosphaeria maculans causing blackleg disease in canola (Brassica napus L.).

Blackleg, caused by Leptosphaeria maculans, is one of the most important diseases of oilseed and vegetable crucifiers worldwide. The present study describes (1) the construction of a genetic linkage map, comprising 255 markers, based upon simple sequence repeats (SSR), sequence-related amplified polymorphism, sequence tagged sites, and EST-SSRs and (2) the localization of qualitative (race-specific) and quantitative (race non-specific) trait loci controlling blackleg resistance in a doubled-haploid population derived from the Australian canola (Brassica napus L.) cultivars Skipton and Ag-Spectrum using the whole-genome average interval mapping approach.