Phenotyping pipeline reveals major seedling root growth QTL in hexaploid wheat

• Published in: Journal of experimental botany 2015-04, Vol.66 (8), p.2283-2292
• Main Authors: Atkinson, Jonathan A., Wingen, Luzie U., Griffiths, Marcus, Pound, Michael P., Gaju, Oorbessy, Foulkes, M. John, Le Gouis, Jacques, Griffiths, Simon, Bennett, Malcolm J., King, Julie, Wells, Darren M.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Chromosomes, Plant - genetics; Life Sciences; Nitrogen - metabolism; Phenotype; Plant Roots - anatomy & histology; Plant Roots - genetics; Plant Roots - growth & development; Polyploidy; Quantitative Trait Loci - genetics; Quantitative Trait, Heritable; RESEARCH PAPER; Seedlings - genetics; Seedlings - growth & development; Triticum - genetics; Triticum - growth & development; Vegetal Biology
• ISSN: 0022-0957; 1460-2431
• DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erv006

Seedling root traits of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) have been shown to be important for efficient establishment and linked to mature plant traits such as height and yield. A root phenotyping pipeline, consisting of a germination paperbased screen combined with image segmentation and analysis software, was developed and used to characterize seedling traits in 94 doubled haploid progeny derived from a cross between the winter wheat cultivars Rialto and Savannah. Field experiments were conducted to measure mature plant height, grain yield, and nitrogen (N) uptake in three sites over 2 years. In total, 29 quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for seedling root traits were identified. Two QTLs for grain yield and N uptake co-localize with root QTLs on chromosomes 2B and 7D, respectively. Of the 29 root QTLs identified, 11 were found to co-localize on 6D, with four of these achieving highly significant logarithm of odds scores (>20). These results suggest the presence of a major-effect gene regulating seedling root vigour/growth on chromosome 6D.