Genome-Wide Association Mapping for Kernel and Malting Quality Traits Using Historical European Barley Records

Abstract

Malting quality is an important trait in breeding barley (Hordeum vulgare L.). It requires elaborate, expensive phenotyping, which involves micro-malting experiments. Although there is abundant historical information available for different cultivars in different years and trials, that historical information is not often used in genetic analyses. This study aimed to exploit historical records to assist in identifying genomic regions that affect malting and kernel quality traits in barley. This genome-wide association study utilized information on grain yield and 18 quality traits accumulated over 25 years on 174 European spring and winter barley cultivars combined with diversity array technology markers. Marker-trait associations were tested with a mixed linear model. This model took into account the genetic relatedness between cultivars based on principal components scores obtained from marker information. We detected 140 marker-trait associations. Some of these associations confirmed previously known quantitative trait loci for malting quality (on chromosomes 1H, 2H, and 5H). Other associations were reported for the first time in this study. The genetic correlations between traits are discussed in relation to the chromosomal regions associated with the different traits. This approach is expected to be particularly useful when designing strategies for multiple trait improvements.

Association and genome analyses to propose putative candidate genes for malt quality traits

“…The germplasm studied here is composed of germplasm, which was clustered according to inflorescence type, geographic origin, and breeding history. Previous studies also indicated spike morphology (two‐rowed versus six‐rowed), geographic origin, domestication or breeding history, growth habits and vernalization requirements (winter versus spring) as the major cluster factors of barley germplasm . This study also revealed a considerable level of overlap in ICARDA germplasm with NDSU lines at one end and to Ethiopian breeding lines at the other end.…”

The variation of agronomic traits associated with breeding progress in winter barley cultivars

“…Malting quality is a complex trait that consists of several components. The main objectives for malting barley breeding are the improvement of grain quality traits such as malt extract and protein content, and grain physical traits including grain formation and weight and glume content (Matthies et al, 2014). It should be emphasized that during the process of barley breeding, grain quality is mainly tested in later generations, which additionally underlines the importance of grain weight and size in development of new malting barley cultivars.…”

A MAGIC population-based genome-wide association study reveals functional association of GhRBB1_A07 gene with superior fiber quality in cotton

“…GWAS has several advantages over traditional QTL analysis, such as higher diversity, better utility of the identified QTL across diverse germplasm, and reduced time required for population development [10–12]. GWAS has been successfully employed in many plants, such as Arabidopsis [13], maize [10, 14], barley [15, 16], wheat [17, 18], rice [19], oat [20], sorghum [21] and soybean [11, 22]. In cotton, a few genetic studies using GWAS have been reported [2, 4, 23, 24].…”