No abstract

Western Siberia is one of the major spring wheat regions of Russia, cultivating over 7 Mha. The objective of the study was to evaluate the variation of macro- and microelements, and of trace metals in four distinct groups of genetic resources: primary synthetics from CIMMYT (37 entries), primary synthetics from Japan (8), US hard red spring wheat cultivars (14), and material from the Kazakhstan–Siberian Network on Spring Wheat Improvement (KASIB) (74). The experiment was conducted at Omsk State Agrarian University, using a random complete block design with four replicates in 2017 and 2018. Concentrations of 15 elements were included in the analysis: macroelements, Ca, K, Mg, P, and S; microelements, Fe, Cu, Mn, and Zn; toxic trace elements, Cd, Co, Ni; and trace elements, Mo, Rb, and Sr. Protein content was found to be positively correlated with the concentrations of 11 of the elements in one or both years. Multiple regression was used to adjust the concentration of each element, based on significant correlations with agronomic traits and macroelements. All 15 elements were evaluated for their suitability for genetic enhancement, considering phenotypic variation, their share of the genetic component in this variation, as well as the dependence of the element concentration on other traits. Three trace elements (Sr, Mo, and Co) were identified as traits that were relatively easy to enhance through breeding. These were followed by Ca, Cd, Rb, and K. The important biofortification elements Mn and Zn were among the traits that were difficult to enhance genetically. The CIMMYT and Japanese synthetics had significantly higher concentrations of K and Sr, compared to the local check. The Japanese synthetics also had the highest concentrations of Ca, S, Cd, and Mo. The US cultivars had concentrations of Ca as high as the Japanese synthetics, and the highest concentrations of Mg and Fe. KASIB’s germplasm had near-average values for most elements. Superior germplasm, with high macro- and microelement concentrations and low trace-element concentrations, was found in all groups of material included.

Kazakhstan–Siberian Network on Spring Wheat Improvement unites 18 spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) research and breeding programs and presents opportunities to study genotype × environment interactions. Trial data from six locations in Kazakhstan and Russia in 2017–18 were used for grain ionomics analysis to evaluate the relative contributions of environment and genotype to variation in elemental composition and to formulate a methodology to enhance concentrations of important minerals in grain. The effect of year was least important to variation. For several elements (P, S, Cu, Mn and Mo), the effect of site was 2–3 times higher than the effect of genotype. The effects of genotype and site were similar for Ca, Mg, Fe, Cd and Sr concentration. Average broad-sense heritability across six sites in both years was: (for macroelements) Mg 0.59 > Ca 0.50 > K 0.44 > P 0.30 > S 0.20; and (for microelements) Zn 0.44 > Mn 0.41 > Cu 0.40 > Fe 0.38. Biplot analysis grouped the traits into five clusters: (1) concentrations of Co, Cu, Mo and Sr; (2) concentrations of Mg, P and Zn; (3) concentrations of K and Ni; (4) protein content, concentrations of Cd, Fe, Mn and S; and (5) grain yield, concentrations of Ca and Rb. These associations reflect regional soil and environment variation independent of genotype. Protein content had positive and significant genotypic correlations with Mg (0.57), P (0.60), S (0.68), Fe (0.64), Cu (0.50), Mn (0.50) and Zn (0.53). A combination of high grain yield, relatively high protein content, and high concentrations of P, S, Mn, Cu and Zn (singly or combined) was identified in the genotypes Element-22 (check cultivar), Lutescens-3-04-21-11, and Silach. The study contributes to research and cultivar development to improve the nutritional profile of grain for consumers.

The study of seed mineral composition of wheat and its wild relatives revealed higher content of all elements in Aegilops ovata and Ae. triuncialis, as well as an overall increased background in relatives compared to modern varieties of Triticum aestivum (standards). By content of macro-and microelements, synthetic forms of wheat occupy an intermediate position between wild relatives and modern varieties. Transitional forms with the level of mineral composition typical of wild forms (Zhetysu × T. militinae; Zhetysu × T. kiharae; Bezostaya 1 × Ae. cylindrica) have been identified. All genotypes have been differentiated into 3 clusters. The first consists predominantly of introgressive forms, Ae. triaristata and the Komsomolskaya 1 variety, which has wild forms in its origin. The second cluster includes mainly varieties (parental forms), T. timopheevii and the introgressive form (Steklovidnaya 24 × T. militinae). The third cluster consists largely of T. militinae, T. kiharae, Ae. cylindrica species and introgressive forms originated from them: Zhetysu × T. militinae and Bezos taya 1 × Ae. cylindrica. Such division allows us to classify genotypes according to the level of metabolism: wild relatives (3rd cluster), varieties (2nd cluster) and an intermediate group -introgressive forms (1st cluster). In general, inclusion of cultural forms (backcrossing with varieties) to crosses with introgressive forms is usually accompanied by a decrease in the total metabolic level, but it varies in cultivars and wild species characterized by polymorphism. Sources of high content of elements have been revealed: wild relatives and introgressive forms, some of which are donors. Accord ing to the results of topcross breeding with testers -commercial common wheat varieties Steklovidnaya 24, Almali, Zhetysu -inheritance of this trait by progenies in F 2 -F 3 generations has been revealed in two constant lines: (Bezostaya 1 × Ae. cylindrica) × T. kiharae and Zhetysu × T. kiharae.

Background.The grain of naked oat varieties has a unique biochemical composition (increased content of protein, starch, fat, and β-glucans) for the production of high-quality dietary food and feed. Relatively low adaptability restrains the spread of naked oat cultivars, but the demand for them has been increasing from year to year. Currently, only hulled oat cultivars are introduced into industrial cultivation in Kazakhstan, so the breeding trend aimed at the development of high-yielding naked oat cultivars may be regarded as a priority.Materials and methods. Thirty-five accessions of naked oats (Avena  sativaL.  subsp. nudisativa(Husnot.) Rod. et Sold.) were selected from the germplasm collection of the N.I. Vavilov All-Russian Institute of Plant Genetic Resources (VIR) for their suitability for the conditions in Kazakhstan in terms of the growing season, drought resistance and grain productivity. The study was carried out in 2015–2017 in the fields of the Kazakh Research Institute of Agriculture and Crop Production (Almaty) and the Karabalyk Agricultural Experimental Station (Kostanay). Grain quality of naked oats was assessed by various methods according to a set of biochemical characters: the content of protein and its fractions, starch, amylose, fat and fatty acids, and β-glucans.Results. The study of naked oat accessions from VIR in the environments of the southeastern Kazakhstan showed higher average values of protein content in grain than under the conditions in the north. As a result of the study, naked oat accessions with increased and stable indicators of the content of protein, starch, amylose, fat, individual fatty acids and β-glucans were identified for the conditions of the southeastern and northern regions of Kazakhstan. All selected accessions will be used in breeding programs of the Republic of Kazakhstan to develop high-yielding and high-quality naked oat cultivars.