Association Genetics in European Winter Wheat and Its Use in Wheat Breeding

A comprehensive dataset based on multi-environmental field data was developed for yield, agronomic traits, baking quality and resistance to fungal diseases in mostly European winter wheat varieties. In parallel, genotypic data for 770 genome-wide distributed microsatellite loci and SNP markers from the 90k iSELECT Infinium array were generated. The analysis of marker-trait associations was carried out by using a mixed linear model and a kinship matrix for population stratification.

As examples for comprehensive association analyses relevant to plant breeding, we present results on resistance to the fungal disease Fusarium head blight caused by Fusarium graminearum and Fusarium culmorum as well as data on heading date. We have subsequently started to introduce individual marker-trait associations (QTL loci) into specific winter wheat varieties and are in the process of further validating the identified marker-trait associations in other European winter wheat varieties. If these experiments are successful, this project will be an example of how to exploit marker-trait associations identified via association studies to generate improved varieties.