Complex G × E Interactions and QTL Clusters Govern End-Use Quality Traits in Hexaploid Wheat

Abstract

Evaluation of wheat end-use quality in terms of loaf volume (LV) requires enormous time and labor inputs. Hence, many studies have attempted to use grain, fl our and dough properties to predict LV. Many quantitative trait loci (QTL) underlying these traits have also been identifi ed to facilitate breeding. However, correlations between such predictive tests and LV as well as their QTLs could be infl uenced by the environment. In this chapter, we review recent literature on the correlations and G × E interaction (GEI) of the bread making quality traits grain protein content (GPC), sodium dodecyl sulphate sedimentation volume (SV), dough rheological traits (DRT) and LV. We briefl y discuss our results from the evaluation of a hexaploid wheat recombinant inbred line population for GPC, SV, LV and nine DRT by mixograph analysis in six year-location environments in India, which revealed that correlations between DRT and LV were not stable across environments. In addition, GEI measured in terms of principal components using Additive main effects and multiplicative interaction model showed up to 47 % contribution to the total variation of the traits, which was refl ected in the location-specifi city of QTLs expressed in single as well as multiple environments. Even though 16 QTL clusters for four to seven traits were identifi ed, only one of them involved LV. The strong infl uence of the environment on complex interrelationships between DRT and the other end-use quality traits suggested that during breeding for wheat end-use quality, markerbased selection of these traits would be more effi cient if specifi c agro-climatic zones are targeted separately.

Deciphering the Genetics of Major End-Use Quality Traits in Wheat

“…These results were in agreement with those of Patil et al (2009), who also reported a wide heritability range of 0.17 to 0.96 for mixograph-relative parameters. In contrast to our results, Tsilo et al (2011) and Prashant et al (2015) found high broad-sense heritability for most of the end-use quality traits in wheat. Similarly, the current study, Echeverry-Solarte et al (2015) reported very high broad-sense heritability for flour extraction and MMLPT.…”

“…The genetic and Pearson correlation analyses revealed most of the end-use quality traits were associated with each other. Several previous studies have also reported similar results (Patil et al 2009; Tsilo et al 2011; Prashant et al (2015); Echeverry-Solarte et al 2015). Our results showed differences between genetic and phenotypic correlation coefficients for end-use quality traits.…”