P0906Candidate Genes for Yield and Cell Wall Components of Winter Barley Identified Using Genome-Wide Association Mapping
Andrea Bellucci
,
Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Aarhus University, Tjele, Denmark
Alessandro Tondelli
,
CREA Genomics Research Centre, Fiorenzuola d'Arda, Italy
Jonatan U. Fangel
,
Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark
Andrew J Flavell
,
Division of Plant Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, United Kingdom
Xu Xin
,
College of Life Science, South-Central University for Nationalities, Wuhan, China
Anna Maria Torp
,
Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark
Willian G. T. Willats
,
Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark
Luigi Cattivelli
,
CREA Genomics Research Centre, Fiorenzuola d'Arda, Italy
Søren Kjærsgaard Rasmussen
,
Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark
In the past decade a growing interest in plant cell wall components has been observed due to its involvement in stress response, for the beneficial effects on human health and as a feedstock for bioenergy production. Cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin form a complex heterogeneous structure estimated to be regulated by thousands of genes. Yet, very few of them are known and well characterized. From a breeding point of view, including traits related to plant cell wall composition into programs for genetic improvement could have beneficial effects also on final yield and increase the overall agricultural productions value.
Objectives of the present work were: i) phenotype a collection of 112 winter barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) varieties tested in the field for two years in Northern Italy for yield and culms secondary cell wall components; ii) identify markers associated with the traits studied using genome wide association scan (GWAS); iii) formulate hypothesis on candidate genes linked to the significant markers based on the bioinformatics resources available.
The 9K iSelect array was employed to genotype the barley collection and a mixed linear model accounting for population structure were used to perform GWAS.
Results showed a strong association between markers on 3HL and grain yield, linked to Hv-eIF4E, a gene involved in the resistance against barley yellow mosaic virus (BaYMV). This virus severely affected the first year of trial. Markers resulted significant for α-(1-5)-arabinans were also located on 3HL and highlighted a region where several genes involved in carbohydrate biosynthesis were reported.
