Leveraging trait and QTL covariates to improve genomic prediction of resistance to Fusarium head blight in Central European winter wheat

Abstract

Fusarium head blight (FHB) is a devastating disease of wheat, causing yield losses, reduced grain quality, and mycotoxin contamination. Breeding can mitigate the severity of FHB epidemics, especially with genomics-assisted methods. The mechanisms underlying resistance to FHB in wheat have been extensively studied, including phenological traits and genome-wide markers associated with FHB severity. Here, we aimed to improve genomic prediction for FHB resistance across breeding programs by incorporating FHB-correlated traits and FHB-associated loci as model covariates. We combined phenotypic data on FHB severity, anthesis date, and plant height with genome-wide marker data from five Central European winter wheat breeding programs for genome-wide association studies (GWAS) and genomic prediction. Within all populations, FHB was correlated with anthesis date and/or plant height, and a marker linked to the semi-dwarfing locus Rht-D1 was detected with GWAS for FHB. Including the Rht-D1 marker, anthesis date, and/or plant height as covariates in genomic prediction modeling improved prediction accuracy not only within populations but also in cross-population scenarios.

Keywords

wheat; Fusarium head blight; genomic prediction; trait covariates; Rht-D1; GWAS; GBLUP

Published in

Frontiers in Plant Science
2024, volume: 15, article number: 1454473
Publisher: FRONTIERS MEDIA SA

SLU Authors

• Morales, Laura

  • Department of Forest Genetics and Plant Physiology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

Associated SLU-program

SLU Plant Protection Network

UKÄ Subject classification

Agricultural Science

Publication identifier

• DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2024.1454473

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/133146