Multi-locus genome-wide association mapping for spike-related traits in bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.).

Background: Bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is one of the most important cereal food crops for the global population. Spike-layer uniformity (the consistency of the spike distribution in the vertical space)-related traits (SLURTs) are quantitative and have been shown to directly affect yield potential by modifying the plant architecture.