Evaluation of Montana Wheat Pre-Harvest Sprout Tolerance and Identification of Population Relevant Associated QTLs

Pre-harvest sprouting (PHS) is the premature germination of grain before harvest which negatively impacts seed and end use quality. PHS is typically measured using the falling number (FN) test which quantifies the degree to which seed starch has been degraded by alpha amylase. Harvested grain with low FN negatively impacts the price producers receive for their grain and global losses of up to $1 billion per year have been reported. Because of this, identifying wheat varieties resistant to PHS is of great economic importance. The first goal of our project was to screen Montana wheat varieties for FN and PHS tolerance. Our second goal is to investigate previously reported PHS QTL markers and determine which may be useful in screening for PHS resistance. A PHS screening method was developed and used to screen 145 Montana grown spring and winter wheat varieties. The PHS tolerance test results indicate that both spring and winter wheat varieties were highly variable in terms of their level of PHS tolerance with most varieties falling between being totally susceptible or totally resistant. The spring and winter wheat lines are currently being screened to identify PHS QTL markers associated with both PHS tolerance and high FN. The results will be used to develop PHS resistant spring and winter wheat varieties adapted to Montana.