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Associations between endogenous spike cytokinins and grain-number traits in spring wheat genotypes

Love, Bethany; Molero, Gemma; Rivera-Amado, Carolina; Müller, Maren; Munné-Bosch, Sergi; Reynolds, Matthew P.; Foulkes, M. John

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Authors

Bethany Love

Gemma Molero

Carolina Rivera-Amado

Maren Müller

Sergi Munné-Bosch

Matthew P. Reynolds



Abstract

Genetic variation in grain number has been positively associated with levels of cytokinins in inflorescences in cereals, although studies quantifying endogenous levels in the field are currently lacking. The present study, using a spring wheat association mapping panel (HiBAP II) of 150 lines, quantified associations between spike hormone levels and grain number and associated traits. The HiBAP II panel was grown in the field in NW Mexico under irrigated conditions for one year and a subset of ten genotypes in the glasshouse under well-watered conditions for three years. The spike levels of four cytokinins (trans-zeatin riboside, trans-zeatin, isopentenyladenosine, and isopentenyladenine) were measured by using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry. In the glasshouse experiments, spike hormone levels were measured at booting and anthesis, and in the field experiment at anthesis. In the glasshouse experiments, cytokinin levels were also measured in the basal, central, and apical spikelets separately in addition to at the whole spike level. The spike cytokinin levels did not differ significantly between the basal, central and apical sections of the spike. or show a spike position × genotype interaction. In the glasshouse experiments, significant genetic variation was detected for the expression of the four cytokinins in spikes at booting. At booting, spike trans-zeatin concentration ranged amongst genotypes from 4.5 to 16.0 ng g−1 FW and was positively correlated with grain number per main shoot (r = 0.77, P < 0.05). In the field at anthesis, the spike levels of each of trans-zeatin, trans-zeatin riboside and isopentenyl adenosine were positively correlated with grains per m2 (r = 0.17–0.19, P < 0.05). Our results indicated that selection for high spike cytokinin levels in wheat germplasm offers scope to raise grain number and yield potential in wheat.

Citation

Love, B., Molero, G., Rivera-Amado, C., Müller, M., Munné-Bosch, S., Reynolds, M. P., & Foulkes, M. J. (2024). Associations between endogenous spike cytokinins and grain-number traits in spring wheat genotypes. European Journal of Agronomy, 152, Article 127011. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eja.2023.127011

Journal Article Type Article
Acceptance Date Oct 21, 2023
Online Publication Date Nov 15, 2023
Publication Date 2024-01
Deposit Date Nov 21, 2023
Publicly Available Date Nov 22, 2023
Journal European Journal of Agronomy
Print ISSN 1161-0301
Electronic ISSN 1873-7331
Publisher Elsevier
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 152
Article Number 127011
DOI https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eja.2023.127011
Keywords Spike cytokinins; Grain number; Fruiting efficiency; Harvest index; Wheat breeding
Public URL https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/27380978

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