Genomics from Laboratory to Field: Production of High Yielding and Environmental Stresses Tolerant Wheat Genotypes

To develop high yielding and environmental stresses tolerant wheat genotypes, quantitative trait loci (QTL) were mapped for various traits and nucleotide diversity of yellow (Yr) and leaf (Lr) rusts genes and resistance gene analogues in resistance and susceptible wheat cultivars and vernalization genes in Iranian wheat landraces were evaluated for development of SNP markers. Population structure of wheat landraces were assessed using microsatellites, vernalization, leaf rust resistance and low molecular glutamine subunits genes. Based on the identified genes and markers toolkit and genomic breeding values, QTL isogenic recombinant inbred lines and genotypes and varieties with multiple genes and QTLs were selected and crossed for development of multi-parental population. Selection of desirable genotypes was started from F3 generation based on grain yield and its components, yellow rust resistance under natural infection, shape and size of flag leaf. The selected genotypes at different generations were evaluated under normal irrigation and rainfed conditions. Under rainfed condition, in the selected F5 genotypes, length of spike varied from 10 to 19 with an average of 13.78 cm and number of grain per spike ranged from 38 to 180 with a mean of 94.20 grain. Under normal irrigation, length of spike and number of grain per spike of the selected genotypes varied from 13 to 24 with a mean of 16.33 cm and 20 to 90 with a mean of 128.14 grain, respectively. The results of this project indicated that application of genomics methods and techniques could increase the efficiency of development of high yielding and environmental stresses tolerant cultivars.