Despite a substantial investment in the development of panels of single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers, the simple sequence repeat (SSR) technology with a limited multiplexing capability remains a standard, even for applications requiring whole-genome information. Diversity arrays technology (DArT) types hundreds to thousands of genomic loci in parallel, as previously demonstrated in a number diploid plant species. Here we show that DArT performs similarly well for the hexaploid genome of bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). The methodology previously used to generate DArT fingerprints of barley also generated a large number of high-quality markers in wheat (99.8% allele-calling concordance and approximately 95% call rate). The genetic relationships among bread wheat cultivars revealed by DArT coincided with knowledge generated with other methods, and even closely related cultivars could be distinguished. To verify the Mendelian behaviour of DArT markers, we typed a set of 90 Cranbrook x Halberd doubled haploid lines for which a framework (FW) map comprising a total of 339 SSR, restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) and amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) markers was available. We added an equal number of DArT markers to this data set and also incorporated 71 sequence tagged microsatellite (STM) markers. A comparison of logarithm of the odds (LOD) scores, call rates and the degree of genome coverage indicated that the quality and information content of the DArT data set was comparable to that of the combined SSR/RFLP/AFLP data set of the FW map.

Fusarium head blight (FHB) resistance is of particular importance in wheat breeding programmes due to the detrimental effects of this fungal disease on human and animal health, yield and grain quality. Segregation for FHB resistance in three European winter wheat populations enabled the identification of resistance loci in well-adapted germplasm. Populations obtained from crosses of resistant cultivars Apache, History and Romanus with susceptible semi-dwarfs Biscay, Rubens and Pirat, respectively, were mapped and analysed to identify quantitative trait loci (QTL) for FHB severity, ear emergence time and plant height. The results of the present study together with previous studies in UK winter wheat indicated that the semi-dwarfing allele Rht-D1b seems to be the major source for FHB susceptibility in European winter wheat. The high resistance level of the cultivars Romanus and History was conditioned by several minor resistance QTL interacting with the environment and the absence of Rht-D1b. In contrast, the semi-dwarf parents contributed resistance alleles of major effects apparently compensating the negative effects of Rht-D1b on FHB reaction. The moderately resistant cultivar Apache contributed a major QTL on chromosome 6A in a genome region previously shown to carry resistance loci to FHB. A total of 18 genomic regions were repeatedly associated with FHB resistance. The results indicate that common resistance-associated genes or genomic regions are present in European winter wheats.

Multiparent advanced generation intercross (MAGIC) populations were recently developed to allow the high-resolution mapping of quantitative traits. We present a genetic linkage map of an elite but highly diverse eight-founder MAGIC population in common wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). Our MAGIC population is composed of 394 F6:8 recombinant inbred lines lacking significant signatures of population structure. The linkage map included 5435 SNP markers distributed over 2804 loci and spanning 5230 cM. The analysis of population parameters, including genetic structure, kinship, founder probabilities, and linkage disequilibrium and congruency to other maps indicated appropriate construction of both the population and the genetic map. It was shown that eight-founder MAGIC populations exhibit a greater number of loci and higher recombination rates, especially in the pericentromeric regions, compared to four-founder MAGIC, and biparental populations. In addition, our greatly simplified eight-parental MAGIC mating design with an additional eight-way intercross step was found to be equivalent to a MAGIC design with all 210 possible four-way crosses regarding the levels of missing founder assignments and the number of recombination events. Furthermore, the MAGIC population captured 71.7% of the allelic diversity available in the German wheat breeding gene pool. As a proof of principle, we demonstrated the application of the resource for quantitative trait loci mapping analyzing seedling resistance to powdery mildew. As wheat is a crop with many breeding objectives, this resource will allow scientists and breeders to carry out genetic studies for a wide range of breeder-relevant parameters in a single genetic background and reveal possible interactions between traits of economic importance.

Background: In traditional vine areas, the production should present a typicity that partly depends on the grapevine variety. Therefore, vine improvement is considered difficult because of the limited choice in the natural variability of the cultivars within the limits of their characteristics. A possibility to circumvent this problem is the use of somatic variability. In vitro somatic embryogenesis and organogenesis can lead to genotypic and phenotypic variations, described as somaclonal variation, that could be useful for the selection of improved grapevine genotypes.