title: Using the UK reference population Avalon × Cadenza as a platform to compare breeding strategies in elite Western European bread wheat.
abstract: Wheat breeders select for qualitative and quantitative traits, the latter often detected as quantitative trait loci (QTL). It is, however, a long procedure from QTL discovery to the successful introduction of favourable alleles into new elite varieties and finally into farmers' crops. As a proof of principle for this process, QTL for grain yield (GY), yield components, plant height (PH), ear emergence (EM), solid stem (SS) and yellow rust resistance (Yr) were identified in segregating UK bread wheat reference population, Avalon × Cadenza. Among the 163 detected QTL were several not reported before: 17 for GY, the major GY QTL on 2D; a major SS QTL on 3B; andYr6 on7B. Common QTL were identified on ten chromosomes, most interestingly, grain number (GN) was found to be associated withRht-D1b; and GY and GN with a potential new allele ofRht8. The interaction of other QTL with GY and yield components was discussed in the context of designing a UK breeding target genotype. Desirable characteristics would be: similar PH and EM to Avalon;Rht-D1bandVrn-A1balleles; high TGW and GN; long and wide grains; a large root system, resistance to diseases; and maximum GY. The potential of the identified QTL maximising transgressive segregation to produce a high-yielding and resilient genotype was demonstrated by simulation. Moreover, simulating breeding strategies with F2enrichment revealed that the F2-DH procedure was superior to the RIL and the modified SSD procedure to achieve that genotype. The proposed strategies of parent selection and breeding methodology can be used as guidance for marker-assisted wheat breeding.
authors: Institute of Crop Science, The National Key Facility for Crop Gene Resources and Genetic Improvement, and CIMMYT China, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, No. 12 Zhongguancun South Street, Beijing, 100081 China ; John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, NR4 7UH UK.
authors: Juan
authors: J
authors: Ma
authors: John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, NR4 7UH UK.
authors: Luzie U
authors: LU
authors: Wingen
authors: John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, NR4 7UH UK.
authors: Simon
authors: S
authors: Orford
authors: Limagrain UK Limited, Rothwell, Market Rasen, Lincolnshire, LN7 6DT UK.
authors: Paul
authors: P
authors: Fenwick
authors: Institute of Crop Science, The National Key Facility for Crop Gene Resources and Genetic Improvement, and CIMMYT China, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, No. 12 Zhongguancun South Street, Beijing, 100081 China.
authors: Jiankang
authors: J
authors: Wang
authors: John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, NR4 7UH UK.
authors: Simon
authors: S
authors: Griffiths
keywords: Breeding by design; Phenotype prediction; Pleiotropy; QTL linkage; Simulation