Background: This study evaluated options and obstacles to strengthening food security through breeding a staple crop in a developing country, using the case of quality of bread wheat in Tajikistan as an example. Methods: Three wheat varieties and 19 breeding lines were collected from two field trial locations included in the Tajik wheat breeding programme. Grain protein composition as a measure of quality was determined by sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). Payne scores were calculated in order to predict quality. Results: There was high variation between and high heterogeneity within several lines and varieties in relation to protein composition. Differences between the same varieties/lines at different locations were also observed. The number of grains analysed from each variety/line allowed prediction of quality, and the majority of materials analysed showed high Payne scores. Based on Payne scores and cluster analyses, a group of varieties/lines with high quality was identified as interesting for further breeding. Conclusions: This study demonstrated the importance of improving wheat maintenance breeding and early generation seed production and of developing suitable screening methods for quality to secure food supply in developing countries such as Tajikistan.
Tajikistan is rich in genetic resources and one of a few countries where farmers still grow wheat (Triticum spp) landraces, which are important for production and breeding. This study undertook morphological description and agronomic and genomic characterization of wheat landraces collected in Tajikistan in 2013 and 2014 to develop opportunities for their use in breeding and on-farm maintenance. In total, 60 wheat landraces were collected from 40 villages in 14 administrative districts and four regions. They were evaluated for agronomic traits in field trials in Turkey. The study identified six distinct regions where landraces are still grown. The villages growing the landraces were remote, with the distance to the nearest market being 30-100 km. The area allocated to wheat landraces varied from 0.01 to 2 ha. The main reason for maintaining the wheat landraces was their suitability for homemade bread and specific adaptation to high altitude. Overall, 68 distinct lines originating from landraces were identified using morphological and genomic descriptions. A core set of 30 lines was selected and field phenotyped under rain-fed conditions. Several landraces (Joydori, Safedak, Surkhaki besuk, Shukhak, Surkh-suk, and Kilaki bartang) that exceeded local check for grain yield and size were identified. Cluster analysis using single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) array kinship matrix demonstrated relatedness between the landraces from different regions of Tajikistan and from neighboring regions of Uzbekistan. The value of this study for the international community is in conservation of rare and unique wheat landraces that could have been lost in the future.
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