Characterization of Brazilian spring wheat germplasm and its potential for increasing wheat genetic diversity in Canada.

In the present era of climate instability, Canadian wheat production has been frequently affected by abiotic stresses and by dynamic populations of pathogens and pests that are more virulent and aggressive over time. Genetic diversity is fundamental to guarantee sustainable and improved wheat production. In the past, the genetics of Brazilian cultivars, such as Frontana, have been studied by Canadian researchers and consequently, Brazilian germplasm has been used to breed Canadian wheat cultivars. The objective of this study was to characterize a collection of Brazilian germplasm under Canadian growing conditions, including the reaction of the Brazilian germplasm to Canadian isolates/pathogens and to predict the presence of certain genes in an effort to increase genetic diversity, improve genetic gain and resilience of Canadian wheat. Over 100 Brazilian hard red spring wheat cultivars released from 1986 to 2016 were evaluated for their agronomic performance in eastern Canada. Some cultivars showed good adaptability, with several cultivars being superior or statistically equal to the highest yielding Canadian checks. Several Brazilian cultivars had excellent resistance to leaf rust, even though only a few of these tested positive for the presence of either Lr34 or Lr16, two of the most common resistance genes in Canadian wheat. Resistance for stem rust, stripe rust and powdery mildew was variable among the Brazilian cultivars. However, many Brazilian cultivars had high levels of resistance to Canadian and African - Ug99 strains of stem rust. Many Brazilian cultivars had good Fusarium head blight (FHB) resistance, which appears to be derived from Frontana. In contrast FHB resistance in Canadian wheat is largely based on the Chinese variety, Sumai-3. The Brazilian germplasm is a valuable source of semi-dwarf (Rht) genes, and 75% of the Brazilian collection possessed Rht-B1b. Many cultivars in the Brazilian collection were found to be genetically distinct from Canadian wheat, making them a valuable resource to increase the disease resistance and genetic variability in Canada and elsewhere.

Identification of Fusarium head blight resistance loci in two Brazilian wheat mapping populations.

Fusarium head blight (FHB) is a disease of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) that causes major yield losses in South America, as well as many other wheat growing regions around the world. FHB results in low quality, contaminated grain due to the production of mycotoxins such as deoxynivalenol (DON). In Brazil, FHB outbreaks are increasing in frequency and are currently controlled by fungicides which are costly and potentially harmful to the wider environment. To identify the genetic basis of resistance to FHB in Brazilian wheat, two mapping populations (Anahuac 75 × BR 18-Terena and BR 18-Terena × BRS 179) segregating for FHB resistance were phenotyped and quantitative trait loci (QTL) analysis was undertaken to identify genomic regions associated with FHB-related traits. A total of 14 QTL associated with FHB visual symptoms were identified, each of which explained 3.7-17.3% of the phenotypic variance. Two of these QTL were stable across environments. This suggests FHB resistance in Anahuac 75, BR 18-Terena and BRS 179 is controlled by multiple genetic loci that confer relatively minor differences in resistance. A major, novel QTL associated with DON accumulation was also identified on chromosome 4B (17.8% of the phenotypic variance), as well as a major QTL associated with thousand-grain weight on chromosome 6B (16.8% phenotypic variance). These QTL could be useful breeding targets, when pyramided with major sources of resistance such as Fhb1, to improve grain quality and reduce the reliance on fungicides in Brazil and other countries affected by FHB.

Dissecting the genetic basis of wheat blast resistance in the Brazilian wheat cultivar BR 18-Terena.

BACKGROUND: Wheat blast, caused by Magnaporthe oryzae Triticum (MoT) pathotype, is a global threat to wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) production. Few blast resistance (R) genes have been identified to date, therefore assessing potential sources of resistance in wheat is important. The Brazilian wheat cultivar BR 18-Terena is considered one of the best sources of resistance to blast and has been widely used in Brazilian breeding programmes, however the underlying genetics of this resistance are unknown. RESULTS: BR 18-Terena was used as the common parent in the development of two recombinant inbred line (RIL) F6 populations with the Brazilian cultivars Anahuac 75 and BRS 179. Populations were phenotyped for resistance at the seedling and heading stage using the sequenced MoT isolate BR32, with transgressive segregation being observed. Genetic maps containing 1779 and 1318 markers, were produced for the Anahuac 75 × BR 18-Terena and BR 18-Terena × BRS 179 populations, respectively. Five quantitative trait loci (QTL) associated with seedling resistance, on chromosomes 2B, 4B (2 QTL), 5A and 6A, were identified, as were four QTL associated with heading stage resistance (1A, 2B, 4A and 5A). Seedling and heading stage QTL did not co-locate, despite a significant positive correlation between these traits, indicating that resistance at these developmental stages is likely to be controlled by different genes. BR 18-Terena provided the resistant allele for six QTL, at both developmental stages, with the largest phenotypic effect conferred by a QTL being 24.8% suggesting that BR 18-Terena possesses quantitative resistance. Haplotype analysis of 100 Brazilian wheat cultivars indicates that 11.0% of cultivars already possess a BR 18-Terena-like haplotype for more than one of the identified heading stage QTL. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that BR 18-Terena possesses quantitative resistance to wheat blast, with nine QTL associated with resistance at either the seedling or heading stage being detected. Wheat blast resistance is also largely tissue-specific. Identification of durable quantitative resistances which can be combined with race-specific R gene-mediated resistance is critical to effectively control wheat blast. Collectively, this work facilitates marker-assisted selection to develop new varieties for cultivation in regions at risk from this emerging disease.

Genetic Characterization of a Wheat Association Mapping Panel Relevant to Brazilian Breeding Using a High-Density Single Nucleotide Polymorphism Array.

Bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is one of the world's most important crops. Maintaining wheat yield gains across all of its major production areas is a key target toward underpinning global food security. Brazil is a major wheat producer in South America, generating grain yields of around 6.8 million tons per year. Here, we establish and genotype a wheat association mapping resource relevant to contemporary Brazilian wheat breeding programs. The panel of 558 wheat accessions was genotyped using an Illumina iSelect 90,000 single nucleotide polymorphism array. Following quality control, the final data matrix consisted of 470 accessions and 22,475 polymorphic genetic markers (minor allele frequency ≥5%, missing data <5%). Principal component analysis identified distinct differences between materials bred predominantly for the northern Cerrado region, compared to those bred for southern Brazilian agricultural areas. We augmented the genotypic data with 26 functional Kompetitive Allele-Specific PCR (KASP) markers to identify the allelic combinations at genes with previously known effects on agronomically important traits in the panel. This highlighted breeding targets for immediate consideration - notably, increased Fusarium head blight resistance via the Fhb1 locus. To demonstrate the panel's likely future utility, genome-wide association scans for several phenotypic traits were undertaken. Significant (Bonferroni corrected P < 0.05) marker-trait associations were detected for Fusarium kernel damage (a proxy for type 2 Fusarium resistance), identifying previously known quantitative trait loci in the panel. This association mapping panel represents an important resource for Brazilian wheat breeding, allowing future genetic studies to analyze multiple agronomic traits within a single genetically diverse population.

Grain zinc concentrations differ among Brazilian wheat genotypes and respond to zinc and nitrogen supply.

The combined application of nitrogen (N) and zinc (Zn) fertilizers is a promising agronomic strategy for the biofortification of wheat grain with Zn for human nutrition. A glasshouse experiment was carried out to assess the effects of supplying N on the uptake, translocation and accumulation of Zn in tissues of two wheat genotypes (Quartzo and BRS Parrudo) with contrasting potential for grain Zn biofortification. Winter wheat genotypes were grown to maturity in 5 cm diameter, 100 cm length tubes filled with a mixture of sand, grit and gravel (40:40:20 v/v/v) over a layer of 0.1 m3 of gravel, and supplied a full nutrient solution with low Zn (0.15 µM) or high Zn (2.25 µM) and low N (0.4 mM) or high N (4.0 mM) concentrations. High N supply increased biomass production, Zn concentration and Zn content of straw and grain in both Quartzo and BRS Parrudo. Grain Zn content more than doubled when the supplies of Zn and N were both increased from low to high in both genotypes. Quartzo had a greater grain yield than BRS Parrudo. BRS Parrudo had greater grain Zn concentration and Zn content than Quartzo. A greater N supply promoted better uptake, translocation to the shoot and accumulation of Zn within the grain. Quartzo and BRS Parrudo differed in their partitioning of biomass and Zn between tissues. It might be possible to combine the greater grain yield of Quartzo with the greater grain Zn accumulation of BRS Parrudo to deliver a greatly improved genotype for human food security.

Resultados agronômicos e qualitativos da nova cultivar de trigo 'BRS Marcante' / Agronomic and qualitative results of the new wheat cultivar 'BRS Marcante'

A cultivar de trigo 'BRS Marcante' foi desenvolvida pela Embrapa, envolvendo um híbrido F1 do cruzamento entre as linhagens PF 980533 e PF 970227 com a cultivar 'BRS Guamirim', realizado em telado, na Embrapa Trigo, no inverno de 2003. As gerações segregantes foram conduzidas pelo método genealógico e a linhagem resultante, nomeada de PF 080310. A cultivar caracteriza-se pela sua ampla capacidade de adaptação às condições de cultivo do sul do Brasil, pelo bom potencial de rendimento de grãos e qualidade industrial da classe Pão.

The wheat cultivar 'BRS Marcante' was developed by Embrapa, as a result a cross between F1 hybrid between lines PF 980533 and PF 970227 with 'BRS Guamirim' and carried out in a green-house of Embrapa Wheat, on 2003 winter season. The segregate generations were conducted by genealogic method and the genotype resulted was named PF 080310. It has wide adaptation ability to south Brazilian conditions, high grain yield potential and belongs to Bread Class.

Uso do germoplasma da Embrapa nos programas de melhoramento de trigo no Brasil / Use of Embrapa's germplasm in Brazilian wheat breeding programs

O programa de melhoramento genético de trigo da Embrapa tem papel importante na história da triticultura brasileira, tendo dado origem a mais de 100 novas cultivares para as diferentes regiões do Brasil, ao longo dos quase 40 anos de existência. Entretanto, não se pode atribuir sua importância somente ao número de cultivares criadas, mas também ao impacto de seu germoplasma nos programas de melhoramento genético de outras instituições. O trabalho teve como objetivo quantificar a importância do germoplasma da Embrapa nos programas de melhoramento genético de trigo no Brasil. Foram analisadas as genealogias de todas as cultivares de trigo indicadas para cultivo no País, no período de 2005 a 2012, por obtentor vegetal. No período estudado, a média de participação do germoplasma da Embrapa nas cultivares de outros obtentores é de 58,7%, com destaque para a Biotrigo Genética, a CCGL TEC e OR Melhoramento de Sementes Ltda, respectivamente, com média de uso de 100,0%, 97,5% e 87,7%.

The wheat breeding program of Embrapa has an important role in the history of this cereal in Brazil, releasing more than one hundred new cultivars to different regions of the country in almost forty years of existence. However, is not possible assign its importance only to the number of cultivars, but also the impact of their germplasm in other brazilian wheat breeding programs. The objective of this study was to quantify the importance of Embrapa's germplasm in the brazilian wheat breeding programs. Were analyzed the genealogies of all wheat cultivars indicated for growth since 2005 and 2012, by institution. During the study period, the average participation of Embrapa's germplasm on cultivars of other institutions was 58.7%, with emphasis to Biotrigo Genética, CCGL TEC and OR Melhoramento de Sementes Ltda, respectively, in which use was 100%, 97.5% and 87.7%.

Resultados agronômicos e qualitativos da nova cultivar de trigo 'BRS 296' / Agronomic and qualitative results of the new wheat cultivar 'BRS 296'

A cultivar de trigo 'BRS 296', desenvolvida pela Embrapa, foi registrada para cultivo em 2009. Originou-se do cruzamento entre o genitor feminino PF 93232 e o genitor masculino COOK*4/VPM1, realizado em telado, na Embrapa Trigo, no verão de 1992/1993. As gerações segregantes foram conduzidas pelo método genealógico até a fixação da linhagem, nomeada de PF 990283. Caracteriza-se pela sua excelente sanidade foliar e de espiga e pela estabilidade de produção. Preliminarmente, está enquadrada na classe comercial Pão e seu cultivo é recomendado para todas as regiões tritícolas do Brasil.

The wheat cultivar BRS 296, developed by Embrapa, was released to production in 2009. It was originated of cross between PF 93232 and COOK*4/VPM1, carried out in green-house, in the summer of 1992/1993. The segregate generations were conducted by genealogic method until homozigose of genotype, named PF 990283. It has excellent leave and spike sanity and production stability. Preliminarily, it was classified as Bread Wheat and is recommended to all wheat regions of Brazil.

Superação da resistência qualitativa da cultivar de trigo "BRS 194" por uma nova raça de Puccinia triticina / Breakdown of qualitative leaf rust resistance in the wheat cultivar 'BRS 194' by a new race of Puccinia triticina

A população de Puccinia triticina, agente causal da ferrugem da folha do trigo, é extremamente dinâmica na região do Cone Sul da América do Sul, onde o surgimento de novas raças é freqüente. A cultivar de trigo "BRS 194" foi a segunda variedade com maior disponibilidade de sementes para plantio no Rio Grande do Sul e em Santa Catarina em 2005, por apresentar características como rusticidade, elevado rendimento de grãos e resistência qualitativa a todas as raças de P. triticina ocorrentes no Brasil e em outros países da América do Sul. Em 2005, pústulas de ferrugem da folha foram observadas sobre plantas desta cultivar, tanto em lavouras quanto em campos experimentais, indicando a possível superação de sua resistência. O objetivo deste trabalho foi identificar a raça de P. triticina presente em amostras oriundas de "BRS 194" e verificar se esta se tratava de uma nova virulência do patógeno, a qual teria superado sua resistência. Oito amostras de ferrugem provenientes da cultivar "BRS 194" foram enviadas em 2005 à Embrapa Trigo, Passo Fundo, Rio Grande do Sul, para isolamento e identificação por meio da Série Internacional de Hospedeiros Diferenciais específica para este patógeno. Todas as amostras apresentaram a mesma combinação de virulência, a qual correspondeu ao código MFP-CT, conforme o Sistema Norte-Americano de nomenclatura do patógeno. Esta foi a primeira vez que este código foi detectado no Brasil, caracterizando o surgimento de uma nova raça de P. triticina virulenta à "BRS 194". Outras cultivares de trigo, também amplamente semeadas, foram inoculadas com a nova raça, sendo que algumas foram suscetíveis e outras resistentes. Entre as cultivares resistentes estão "Fundacep 30" e "IPR 84", as quais permanecem também resistentes a todas as raças do patógeno ocorrentes no Brasil.

The population of Puccinia triticina, the causal agent of wheat leaf rust, is extremely dynamic in the South Cone region of South America, where the appearance of new races is frequent. The wheat cultivar 'BRS 194' was the second variety in availability of seeds for planting in Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina States in 2005, because it has good agronomic characteristics as rusticity, high yield and resistance to all races of P. triticina occurring in Brazil and other countries in South America. In 2005, pustules of leaf rust were observed in this cultivar on farms and in experimental fields, indicating the probable breakdown of its resistance. The objective of this research was to identify the race of P. triticina present in samples from 'BRS 194' and verify if it was a new virulence of the pathogen able to overcome its resistance. Eight samples of leaf rust from 'BRS 194' were sent to Embrapa - National Wheat Research Center, Passo Fundo, Brazil for isolation and identification in International Sets of Differential Hosts specific for this pathogen. All samples showed the same virulence combination, which corresponded to MFP-CT according to the North-American System of nomenclature for the pathogen's races. That was the first time that this letter code was detected in Brazil, characterizing the emergence of a new race of P. triticina virulent to 'BRS 194'. Other popular varieties were inoculated with the new race, some were susceptible and others were resistant. Among the resistant cultivars were 'Fundacep 30' and 'IPR 84', which also remain resistant to all races of the pathogen occurring in Brazil.

Análise da adaptabilidade e da estabilidade de genótipos de trigo como ferramenta auxiliar na recomendação de novas cultivares / Analysis of adaptability and stability of wheat genotypes as an auxiliary tool in recommending new cultivars

A análise da adaptabilidade e da estabilidade de genótipos de trigo auxilia o melhorista na recomendação de novas cultivares, indicando linhagens de adaptação ampla ou específica aos ambientes. Esse procedimento é particularmente importante para a cultura do trigo, principalmente levando em consideração a grande diversidade de ambientes a que o cereal é submetido no Brasil. Assim, este trabalho teve como objetivo identificar genótipos de trigo com ampla adaptação e estáveis para recomendação. Os dados para as análises foram obtidos a partir do ensaio de Valor de Cultivo e Uso (VCU) estabelecido nas diferentes regiões de adaptação do Brasil, em 2003 e 2004. O delineamento experimental usado foi o de blocos ao acaso, com 4 repetições. A variável analisada foi o rendimento de grãos. Para fins de comparação, foram usadas três cultivares como testemunhas: "CEP 24", "BRS 194" e "Õnix". Para a determinação da adaptabilidade e da estabilidade dos genótipos, foram usados os métodos descritos por Eberhart & Russel e por Lin & Binns. Quatro genótipos apresentaram ampla adaptabilidade e estabilidade (beta=1 e S²d=0) pelo método de Eberhart & Russel destes, dois não diferiram estatisticamente da melhor testemunha. Os coeficientes de determinação foram significativos e explicaram o comportamento de todos os genótipos avaliados (R²>80 por cento e significativo). O modelo de Lin & Binns gerou resultados coerentes com o de Eberhart & Russel, para a maioria das linhagens avaliadas. Os genótipos PF 990313 e PF 980524 destacaram-se pela ampla adaptação e produtividade média, podendo ser recomendados para todas as regiões tritícolas do Brasil.