Effect of Growth Habit Genes on Yield and Adaptation of Soft Red Winter Wheat (Triticum aestivum).

The ability of wheat (Triticum aestivum) to “fine-tune” its flowering based on seasonal cues is central to its global adaptability. Response to vernalization and photoperiod are two of the genetic factors controlling flowering time in wheat, and are considered to be primary determinants of yield and yield potential.  Introduction of the dwarfing genes, meanwhile led to substantial increases in yield during the Green Revolution. A broader understanding of the effect of these genes and their interactions is thus crucial to continuing to unlock the potential for breeding wheat cultivars that are higher yielding and more adapted to target environments. This study aims to evaluate the impact of allelic variation for phenology related genes, namely vernalization (Vrn) and photoperiod (Ppd) response, together with variation in height alleles (Rht) to the yield and adaptation of 240 soft red winter wheat lines across multiple locations in the southeastern region of the United States. Genotyping using allele-specific KASP markers and phenotypic screening of the varieties are currently being conducted. The effect of allelic variation at these major growth habit genes on variation for agronomic traits such as height and heading date is also being investigated. Results are expected to facilitate the process of marker-assisted selection during breeding for the development of improved germplasm towards increased productivity of future wheat varieties, and ultimately to helping attain sustainable food security.