Breeders design their breeding plans using MAS strategies and according to their regional needs DNA or leaf samples are submitted to the designated Genotyping Centers. Since the beginning of the project more than 357,000 analyses were requested. In 2008 the sum of datapoints obtained in-house and though the Genotyping Centers exceeded 200,000, more than double the number originally projected.

During the last three years participants released more than 30 cultivars and

germplasm lines that involved the use of molecular markers (http://maswheat.ucdavis.edu/Achievements/cultivars2007.htm)

Nineteen population are being used to construct genetic maps, with a cumulative sum of 1,169,659 datapoints, mainly SSR markers. That is an average of 413 markers per population, 73% more than the initial target. Every program also selected a number of traits to phenotype and map. The CA and IN programs completed their maps with the rest due in 2009. Detailed information about the mapping populations can be found at http://maswheat.ucdavis.edu/Mapping/

The parental lines have been screened with a set of 359 Single Nucleotide Polimorphism (SNPs) markers. The mapping of these SNPs is in progress. (http://probes.pw.usda.gov:8080/snpworld/Search).

During 2008 4 high-school students, 46 undergraduate and 42 graduate students received training on wheat breeding and MAS in WheatCAP participating labs. Not all of the students were financially supported by the WheatCAP, but the project effectively leveraged matching funds.

Groups of graduate and postdoctoral students attended courses at the Summer Institute of Statistical Genetics, the Plant Breeding Workshop and the BarleyCAP Association Mapping Course.

Experiential “Combine to Kitchen” trips are occurring regionally. The trips are meant to raise student awareness about all the necessary steps in food production as well as increasing student appreciation for grower’s and end-user’s perspective. With these goals in mind each group designs region specific trips.

Soria M., Sherman J., Anderson J., Baenziger P., Bai G., Berzonsky B., Brown-Guedira G., Campbell K., Carver B., Chao S., Fritz A., Griffey C., Haley S., Johnson J., Kianian S., Kidwell K., Matthews D., Mergoum M., Ohm H., Peterson J., Riera Lizarazu O., Rudd J., Talbert L., Sorrells M., Souza E., Zhang W., Zemetra R, and Dubcovsky J., Please, find the complete list of affiliations in our web site.: http://maswheat.ucdavis.edu

The WheatCAP project delivers genomic resources for improved wheat breeding

This project is supported by the National Research Initiative of USDA’s Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service, CAP grant number 2006-55606-16629.

Introduction Research

Conclusions

OutreachEducation

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In 2005, USDA-CSREES-NRI awarded a grant to the WheatCAP consortium to develop new genomic tools and knowledge to improve and accelerate wheat breeding. Breeders from the major wheat-growing states, the four USDA-ARS small grains genotyping centers and GrainGenes participate in the project. The consortium is applying marker assisted selection (MAS) strategies to improve many traits, with a focus on disease and pest resistances (rusts, Hessian fly, powdery mildew leaf and glume blotch) and milling and baking quality (grain protein, color and texture and gluten strength).

Collaborators are also developing longer term public resources by mapping traits in 19 populations, which are being phenotypically evaluated at an average of seven environments for QTL discovery related to complex traits. Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) were screened in the parent lines and 359 SNPs are being incorporated into the genetic maps.

The main goals of the WheatCAP project are:

Incorporating genomic tools, especially marker assisted selection (MAS), into the breeding process

Implementing educational activities to train students in the use of these techniques

Informing a broader audience of stakeholders and the general public on the impact of new technologies in the wheat industry.

Trait Genes, QTLs  

Fungal disease resistance (68.6%) 

 Leaf rust resistance

Lr19, Lr21, Lr34, Lr35, Yr17/Lr37/Sr38, Lr39, Lr46, Lr47 and Lr52

 Fusarium head blight resistance

QTLs on chromosome arms 2DL, 3AS, 3BS, 5AS and Qfhs.pur-7EL

 Stripe rust resistance

Yr5, Yr15, Yr30, Yr36, Yr39, Q.htap-6BS and other sources of high temperature adult plant resistance (HTAP)

  Stem rust resistance Sr2, Sr24/Lr24, Sr26 and Sr36

Quality traits (9.6%)

  Gluten strength Alleles of GluA1, GluA3, GluB1, GluB3 and GluD1

  Grain protein content Gpc-B1

 Grain color

Grain color alleles linked to Xgwm155, Xgwm4010 and Xgwm4306

  Grain texture Clark's Cream 3AS soft allele, PinAm and PinA-D1

Insect resistance (8.1%)

  Hessian fly resistance H10, H13, H22, H25, H26 and Hdicoccum

  Greenbug resistance Gb3

  Russian wheat aphid resistance Dn2 and Dn7

Virus resistance (5.4%)

  BYDV resistance Bdv2, Bdv3 and ph1B deletion

  WSMV resistance WSM-R (Agropyron) and Wsm1

  Wheat stem sawfly resistance Qss.msub-3BL

Abiotic stress resistance (4.8%)

  Aluminum tolerance ALMT1 and AltBH

 Pre-harvest sprouting

Q.Xcdo064-1B, QTL on 4A and QTL linked to Xgwm136

  Drought tolerance Rye translocation linked to SCM9

Agronomic traits (3.4%) 

  D-Genome specific Set of genes specific for D-genome chromosomes

  Plant height alleles of Rht-B1 and Rht-D1

Activities for growers and other stakeholders include field days and demonstration plots, with more than 53 organized in 2008.

WheatCAP collaborators also engaged in other types of activities, including presentations at industry and scientific meetings, seminars, press releases and radio interviews.

MAS hands-on workshop shorten the distance between the molecular biology lab and the stakeholder. A small group of growers visit the MAS lab to learn how molecular markers are scored and run analyses with their own hands. Five of these workshops were organized in 2008.

The outreach activities are planned, organized and carried out by breeders taking into account their regional needs. Thus, allowing a greater flexibility and insuring success of the WheatCAP mission to inform stakeholders about new technologies in breeding. A f

A field day at Virginia Tech

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The CSU “Combine to Kitchen” trip

The project’s web site is a powerful tool to extend our outreach activities, with visitors from the US, China, India, Canada and Europe.

The site hosts a section of MAS protocols for 38 traits in three main categories: disease and pest resistance, quality improvement and agronomic. An interactive tool for training in glutenin analysis is also on the site.

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Traits and genes targeted by the breeding programs. Section headings show the trait category and the percent of datapoints allocated to it. The most frequent traits and the genes or alleles involved are indicated.

The WheatCAP project is beginning its last year. Throughout the previous three, the project met or exceeded objectives. Important goals accomplished include: release of adapted germplasm with genes targeted to control serious diseases and improve quality, identification of new genes and markers to be used in breeding programs, contribution to the education of the next generation

of breeders, and strengthening of communication with stakeholders. The project has reinforced a network of wheat breeders and stakeholders upon which new collaborations will be built to insure the future improvement of wheat. Future efforts in developing long term genetic resources will include the confirmation and utilization of QTLs identified in this project.

The education section contains 10 Flash animations covering issues like an introduction to molecular breeding, laboratory procedures (PCR, DNA extraction, gel electrophoresis), genetic mapping and MAS procedures. Visitors can find MS-PowerPoint presentations for preparing molecular breeding classes (CSI Plant Style) and teachers’ material. Also, we made available the class notes and data of a course on genetic mapping held at UC Davis in 2006.

Students touring Horizon Milling, Minnesota A hands-on workshop

Visiting the Grain

Exchange