The Science of Developing New Wheat Varieties

1. The Science of Developing New Wheat Varieties Phil Bruckner MAES Winter Wheat Breeder

2. PLANT BREEDING • The art & science of improving the genetic composition of plants • based on science • botany, genetics, statistics, plant physiology, plant pathology, agronomy, biochemistry, entomology

3. Long-term Yield Trend

4. PLANT BREEDING • Mendelian genetics - genes that control heritable traits behave in predictable fashion • Segregation • Independent assortment

5. PLANT BREEDING • Art • Many roads to same destination • Visual observation • Skill, judgment, luck • Product = variety, cultivar

6. Variation within a crop species (Basis of plant breeding) • Caused by • Environment (non-heritable) • Genetics • Create genetic variation by • genetic recombination after hybridization • genetic mutation • transformation (genetic engineering)

7. Crop Variety (definition) • Group of similar plants which by structural appearance and performance characteristics can be distinguished from other varieties of the same species • Depending on species, plants within variety could be genetically uniform or genetically distinct

8. Gene • Unit of inheritance located at a fixed location on one of the 21 wheat chromosomes • Actually defines the amino acid sequence of a protein that affects or controls the development of a character

9. ALLELE • One of a series of forms of a gene which are alternative in inheritance because they are situated at the some locus in homologous chromosomes = alternative versions of gene that impart the same characteristic

10. GENOTYPE • Entire genetic constitution of the wheat plant

11. PHENOTYPE • Physical or external appearance of an individual wheat plant • Determined by combined effects of the genotype in the environment

12. ENVIRONMENT • Sum total of the external conditions that affect growth and development of the wheat plant

13. Plant selection is based on phenotype • Phenotype is the appearance, reaction, or productivity of a plant • based on genetic composition + the effects of the environment • Environment can mask the effects of the gene • Low vs. high heritability

14. Qualitative traits • Controlled by 1 or 2 genes • environment has little effect • Phenotype (=) genotype • segregates into discrete phenotypic classes • eg height, awns vs. no awns, rust resistance, stem solidness

15. Quantitative traits • Controlled by many genes • environment has large effect • Phenotype ≠ Genotype • continuous range of variation (no discrete classes) • eg grain yield, winter hardiness

16. Steps in a plant breeding program • Create genetic variability - hybridization • choice of parents critical • Genetic segregation and chromosomal recombination • Line evaluation & selection • Variety release

17. Montana Winter Wheat Breeding/Genetics Development of competitive cultivars for a global marketplace

18. Montana Winter Wheat 1998-2007 • Average production ~1.7 million acres (38%) • World market – cheaper than DNS, blend with DNS to reduce input cost • Average statewide yield 36.4 bu/a, range 22-45 bu/a (spring wheat ave. 25.7 bu/a

19. Montana Winter Wheat • Primary reason to grow winter wheat in MT is for its higher grain yield (avoid late season drought and heat stress) • Pest tolerance & winter hardiness important to protect yield potential • Quality important on world market

20. Variety development is team effort • Research Centers • Kephart, Carlson, Stougaard, Wichman, Riveland, Kushnak, Eckhoff • Cereal Quality Laboratory • Nash, Kennedy, TeSlaa • Plant Sciences & Plant Pathology • Talbert, Martin, Giroux, Fischer, Dyer • Other • Schaff (Post Farm), Baumbauer (PGC), Grey (Foundation Seed), Larson (MSGA)

21. MSU winter wheat breeding program • Primary breeding site at Bozeman • 4 selection sites in target environments • Testing sites • 9 primary (8 on-station, 1 on-farm) • 10-12 secondary (on-farm variety trials)

22. Montana Winter Wheat Program • Primary focus: HRW cultivar development • Productivity, adaptation, pest and stress tolerance for successful production in MT • Quality characteristics to compete in global marketplace

23. Primary winter wheat testing and selection sites

24. Breeding Cycle12 years F6 headrows 30,000 Cross (greenhouse) F1 bulk F7 observation nursery 2500, 5 locations F2 bulk (Ft Ellis) (stem rust, solidness) Preliminary yield trial 150, 5 locations F3 bulk (Williston) (winter survival) Advanced yield trial 30, 6 locations F4 bulk (North Havre) (w. survival, sawfly) Intrastate yield trial 5>2>1, 8 loc., 3 years Seed increase Industry evaluation F5 bulk (derive lines) Release if superior

25. 2004 Production Hazards =2004 Selection Opportunities Excessive selection pressure 2004 Williston, ND Useful selection pressure 2003 Williston, ND State average yield (2002-2005): Promontory 66.7 bu/a, Norstar 55.7 bu/a Williston average yield (2002-2005): Promontory 41.2 bu/a, Norstar 57.1 bu/a

26. Increased Residue Systems create opportunities & challenges Loma planting– October 1, 2004 Loma – April 2004 Bozeman – 2005

27. 2004 Production Hazards =2004 Selection Opportunities Sawfly cutting at 2004 Havre

28. 2005 Production Hazards = 2005 Selection opportunities 2005 North Havre – Sawfly selection nursery

29. 2007 Phenotypic selection for stem solidness

30. Production Hazards =Selection Opportunities n = 49, R2 = 0.79 Stripe Rust 2005 Kalispell

31. Genou – 2003 Bozeman 2005Havre – Genou Foundation seed production

32. Performance of Genou in 106 trials (2003 to 2007)

33. 2004 Loma Genou Rampart

34. Yellowstone at Bozeman 2004

35. Performance of Yellowstone in 112 trials, 2002 - 2007

36. CLEARFIELD Winter Wheat

37. CLEARFIELD System–Imidazolinone tolerant cultivar + imazamox herbicide • Goal: Develop Clearfield winter wheat lines that are yield competitive, adapted, & of acceptable end-use quality • Management option to provide selective weed control of two problem winter annual weeds, jointed goatgrass and downy brome

38. CLEARFIELD Wheat • Herbicide inhibits activity of acetohydroxyacid synthase (AHAS) – enzyme in branched chain AA synthetic pathway • 3 homeologous genes conferring IMI tolerance have been identified in wheat • Tolerance gene modifies AHAS protein so herbicide does not bind and inhibit AA synthesis

39. IMI-tolerant headrow selection CLEARFIELD nurseries sprayed at 2X herbicide rate - Resistant lines selected

40. End-use quality for global market • High grain protein • High protein quality = strong gluten • Acceptable milling characteristics • High water absorption & loaf volume • Good Asian sheeted noodle characteristics • Good noodle color stability • Good noodle texture

41. Asian noodle characteristics

42. Evaluating quality characteristics

43. Goal of the Montana Winter Wheat Research Program • Working for Montana wheat producers to: • Provide decent economic return for wheat producers of Montana through improved performance • on farm productivity • marketability through superior end-use quality

44. Coming online:Marker Assisted selection Select DNA marker genetically linked to trait of interest (solid stem, wsmv, curl mite, Hessian fly, disease resistance etc.) With closely linked DNA marker presence of marker indicates gene likely present

45. Damage Caused by the Wheat Stem Sawfly

46. Resistance Due to Solid Stems 5 10 15 20 25 Susceptible Resistant

47. Marker for Major Solid Stem Gene Gwm 340 (Chromosome 3B) Jagalene (hollow) MTS0359 (solid) 59 BC2F3 plants showing segregation for Gwm340 marker allele linked to stem solidness Hollow allele Solid allele