Scott D. Haley

Antioxidant Properties of Bran Extracts from Trego Wheat Grown at Different Locations

The effects of growing conditions during the grain-filling period, including high temperature stress, total solar radiation, and average daily solar radiation, on the antioxidant properties of Trego wheat were evaluated. Bran extracts were prepared from Trego wheat, grown at four nonirrigated and one irrigated location in Colorado, and compared for their radical scavenging activities against ABTS*+ and DPPH*, Fe(2+) chelating capacities, and total phenolic contents. Significant differences in radical scavenging activities, chelating capacities, and total phenolic contents were detected among Trego bran samples grown at different locations, suggesting that growing conditions may influence the antioxidant properties of wheat. The bran sample obtained from Fort Collins had the strongest scavenging activity against either ABTS*+ or DPPH* radicals and the greatest chelating activity, whereas the highest total phenolic content was detected in bran samples from Walsh, indicating that each antioxidant activity may respond to the environmental changes differently. Positive correlations were detected between the DPPH* scavenging activity and either total solar radiation (r = 0.97, p = 0.03) or average daily solar radiation (r = 0.97, p = 0.03). In addition, HPLC analysis detected the presence of ferulic, syringic, vanillic, p-hydroxybenzoic, and coumaric acids in wheat bran. Additional research is needed to further investigate the effects of environmental conditions and the interactions between genotype and environmental factors on the antioxidant properties of wheat to promote the production of wheat with improved antioxidant properties by optimizing the growing conditions for a selected genotype.

Antioxidant properties of hard winter wheat extracts

Abstract Extracts from three winter wheat varieties (‘Trego’, ‘Akron’ and ‘Platte’) were evaluated and compared to α-tocopherol for their inhibitory effects on lipid peroxidation in fish oils by measuring the oil stability index (OSI). Free radical scavenging capacities and chelating potencies were also measured to better understand the potential mechanism(s) of their effects on lipid peroxidation. Trego extracts showed the greatest capacity to suppress lipid peroxidation in fish oils. The OSI time of the oil sample containing 600 ppm Trego extract was 2.85 h beyond the control sample containing no antioxidant, which is 3.1 times longer than the OSI time of oil containing 300 ppm tocopherol. Dose effects were observed for Trego extract, but not for Akron or Platte extracts. Furthermore, the higher level of Platte extract corresponded to a shorter OSI time. All three wheat extracts directly reacted with and quenched DPPH radicals and showed chelating activity. Akron extract had the greatest radical scavenging and chelating activities. Neither radical scavenging nor chelating activities of the wheat extracts can explain the relative activities of these extracts on lipid peroxidation in fish oils under the experimental conditions. The results of this study indicate possibility of to developing natural food antioxidants from selected wheat varieties, including Trego hard white winter wheat.

Population- and genome-specific patterns of linkage disequilibrium and SNP variation in spring and winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.).

BackgroundSingle nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) are ideally suited for the construction of high-resolution genetic maps, studying population evolutionary history and performing genome-wide association mapping experiments. Here, we used a genome-wide set of 1536 SNPs to study linkage disequilibrium (LD) and population structure in a panel of 478 spring and winter wheat cultivars (Triticum aestivum) from 17 populations across the United States and Mexico.ResultsMost of the wheat oligo pool assay (OPA) SNPs that were polymorphic within the complete set of 478 cultivars were also polymorphic in all subpopulations. Higher levels of genetic differentiation were observed among wheat lines within populations than among populations. A total of nine genetically distinct clusters were identified, suggesting that some of the pre-defined populations shared significant proportion of genetic ancestry. Estimates of population structure (FST) at individual loci showed a high level of heterogeneity across the genome. In addition, seven genomic regions with elevated FST were detected between the spring and winter wheat populations. Some of these regions overlapped with previously mapped flowering time QTL. Across all populations, the highest extent of significant LD was observed in the wheat D-genome, followed by lower LD in the A- and B-genomes. The differences in the extent of LD among populations and genomes were mostly driven by differences in long-range LD ( > 10 cM).ConclusionsGenome- and population-specific patterns of genetic differentiation and LD were discovered in the populations of wheat cultivars from different geographic regions. Our study demonstrated that the estimates of population structure between spring and winter wheat lines can identify genomic regions harboring candidate genes involved in the regulation of growth habit. Variation in LD suggests that breeding and selection had a different impact on each wheat genome both within and among populations. The higher extent of LD in the wheat D-genome versus the A- and B-genomes likely reflects the episodes of recent introgression and population bottleneck accompanying the origin of hexaploid wheat. The assessment of LD and population structure in this assembled panel of diverse lines provides critical information for the development of genetic resources for genome-wide association mapping of agronomically important traits in wheat.

Pyramiding genes for resistance to bean common mosaic virus

SummaryGene pyramiding in Phaseolus vulgaris is being utilized to develop more effective resistance to the temperature-insensitive-necrosis-inducing (TINI) strains of Bean Common Mosaic Virus (BCMV) present in the USA. Our data indicate that contrary to previous work, the bc-3 gene is effective against these strains in the absence of the strain unspecific bc-u gene in genotypes possessing the I gene. The epistatic bc-3 gene interferes with traditional efforts to pyramid the other recessive resistance genes by masking their activity. Indirect selection based on markers linked to the other recessive resistance genes would likewise be ineffective without the ability to also select for the bc-u gene which is required for expression of the bc-22 gene in germplasm carrying the I gene. Because the most resistant genotype (I, bc-u, bc-I2, bc-22, bc-3) can only be introduced into a wide range of germplasm through the use of molecular markers linked to the different resistance genes, the search for a marker linked to the strain unspecific bc-u gene should also be given priority.

Biotypic diversity in Colorado Russian wheat aphid (Hemiptera: Aphididae) populations.

Abstract The biotypic diversity of the Russian wheat aphid, Diuraphis noxia (Kurdjumov) (Hemiptera: Aphididae), was assessed in five isolates collected in Colorado. Three isolates, RWA 1, RWA 2, and an isolate from Montezuma County, CO, designated RWA 6, were originally collected from cultivated wheat, Triticum aestivum L., and obtained from established colonies at Colorado State University. The fourth isolate, designated RWA 7, was collected from Canada wildrye, Elymus canadensis L., in Baca County, CO. The fifth isolate, designated RWA 8, was collected from crested wheatgrass, Agropyron cristatum (L.) Gaertn., in Montezuma County, CO. The four isolates were characterized in a standard seedling assay, by using 24 plant differentials, 22 wheat lines and two barley, Hordeum vulgare L., lines. RWA 1 was the least virulent of the isolates, killing only the four susceptible entries. RWA 8 also killed only the four susceptible entries, but it expressed intermediate virulence on seven wheat lines. RWA 6, killing nine entries, and RWA 7, killing 11 entries, both expressed an intermediate level of virulence overall, but differed in their level of virulence to ‘CO03797′ (Dn1), ‘Yumar’ (Dn4), and ‘CO960293-2′. RWA 2 was the most virulent isolate, killing 14 entries, including Dn4- and Dny-containing wheat. Four wheat lines, ‘94M370′ (Dn7), ‘STARS 02RWA2414-11′, CO03797, and ‘CI2401′, were resistant to the five isolates. The results of this screening confirm the presence of five unique Russian wheat aphid biotypes in Colorado.

Above winter wheat

Above, a hard red winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L. em. Thell.), is adapted for dryland production in the west central Great Plains of the United States. It carries a nontransgenic source of tolerance to imidazolinone herbicides derived by mutation induction with sodium azide. Above was developed cooperatively by the Colorado and Texas Agricultural Experiment Stations and released to seed producers in September 2001. Key words: Triticum aestivum, wheat (winter), cultivar description, herbicide tolerance

Characterisation of Triticum vavilovii-derived stripe rust resistance using genetic, cytogenetic and molecular analyses and its marker-assisted selection

Abstract Stripe rust resistance was identified in Triticum vavilovii (T. vavilovii Aus22498)-derived Russian wheat aphid (RWA)-resistant germplasm. Inheritance studies indicated monogenic control of resistance. The resistance gene was tentatively designated as Yrvav and was located on chromosome 1B by monosomic analysis. A close association (1.5±0.9% recombination) of Yrvav with a T. vavilovii-derived gliadin allele (Gli-B1vav) placed it in chromosome arm 1BS. Yrvav was allelic with Yr10. Tests with Yr10 avirulent and virulent pathotypes showed that Yrvav and Yr10 possess identical pathogenic specificity. Yrvav and Yr10 showed close genetic associations with alternate alleles at the Xpsp3000 (microsatellite marker), Gli-B1 and Rg1 loci. Based on these observations Yrvav was named as Yr10vav. The close association between Xpsp3000 and Gli-B1 was also confirmed. The Yr10vav-linked Xpsp3000 allele (285 bp) was not present in 65 Australian cultivars, whereas seven Australian wheats lacking Yr10 carried the same Xpsp3000 allele (260 bp) as Yr10 carrying wheat cultivar Moro. Xpsp3000 and/or Gli-B1 could be used in marker-assisted selection for pyramiding Yr10vav or Yr10 with other stripe rust resistance genes. Yr10vav was inherited independently of the T. vavilovii-derived RWA resistance.

Association mapping and nucleotide sequence variation in five drought tolerance candidate genes in spring wheat

Functional markers are needed for key genes involved in drought tolerance to improve selection for crop yield under moisture stress conditions. The objectives of this study were to (i) characterize five drought tolerance candidate genes, namely dehydration responsive element binding 1A (DREB1A), enhanced response to abscisic acid (ERA1‐B and ERA1‐D), and fructan 1‐exohydrolase (1‐FEH‐A and 1‐FEH‐B), in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) for nucleotide and haplotype diversity, Tajimas D value, and linkage disequilibrium (LD) and (ii) associate within‐gene single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with phenotypic traits in a spring wheat association mapping panel (n = 126). Field trials were grown under contrasting moisture regimes in Greeley, CO, and Melkassa, Ethiopia, in 2010 and 2011. Genome‐specific amplification and DNA sequence analysis of the genes identified SNPs and revealed differences in nucleotide and haplotype diversity, Tajimas D, and patterns of LD. DREB1A showed associations (false discovery rate adjusted probability value = 0.1) with normalized difference vegetation index, heading date, biomass, and spikelet number. Both ERA1‐A and ERA1‐B were associated with harvest index, flag leaf width, and leaf senescence. 1‐FEH‐A was associated with grain yield, and 1‐FEH‐B was associated with thousand kernel weight and test weight. If validated in relevant genetic backgrounds, the identified marker–trait associations may be applied to functional marker‐assisted selection.

GPFARM plant model parameters: Complications of varieties and the genotype x environment interaction in wheat

The USDA–ARS Great Plains Framework for Agricultural Resource Management (GPFARM) decision support system was developed to assist Great Plains producers in making economically viable and environmentally sound strategic plans for whole farm and ranch systems. A major user requirement for GPFARM is to supply the default plant parameters required to simulate crop growth. Developing this plant parameter database is difficult because varietal differences, caused by a genotype by environment (G . E) interaction, increases parameter uncertainty and variability. This article examines species–based plant parameter sets for simulating winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) yield responses, explores the significance of the G . E interaction on simulating varietal grain yield, and investigates whether simple adjustments to a species–based plant parameter database can improve simulation of varietal differences across environments. Three plant parameter sets were evaluated against observed yield data for six locations in eastern Colorado: (1) the Default parameter set used best estimates from EPIC–based plant parameter databases, (2) the Dryland Agroecosystems Project (DAP) parameter set further calibrated the default plant parameters against observed yield data for Colorado, and (3) the Theory parameter set modified DAP parameters based on whether irrigated or dryland conditions were simulated. The Theory parameter set simulated yield the best when pooling varieties over environments and locations. However, no parameter set could simulate all the different varietal yield responses to environmental conditions (irrigated or dryland) due to the diverse G . E interactions. The Theory parameter set best simulated the wheat variety TAM 107 across diverse locations, with little bias for either irrigated or dryland conditions. Simple adjustments to a few plant parameters based on whether dryland or irrigated conditions were simulated improved the species–based plant parameter approach used in GPFARM. However, until a better mechanistic representation of the G . E interaction is incorporated into existing plant growth models, opportunities for improving yield response to environmental conditions and management will be limited.

Allelic Variation in Developmental Genes and Effects on Winter Wheat Heading Date in the U.S. Great Plains

Heading date in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and other small grain cereals is affected by the vernalization and photoperiod pathways. The reduced-height loci also have an effect on growth and development. Heading date, which occurs just prior to anthesis, was evaluated in a population of 299 hard winter wheat entries representative of the U.S. Great Plains region, grown in nine environments during 2011–2012 and 2012–2013. The germplasm was evaluated for candidate genes at vernalization (Vrn-A1, Vrn-B1, and Vrn-D1), photoperiod (Ppd-A1, Ppd-B1 and Ppd-D1), and reduced-height (Rht-B1 and Rht-D1) loci using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and Kompetitive Allele Specific PCR (KASP) assays. Our objectives were to determine allelic variants known to affect flowering time, assess the effect of allelic variants on heading date, and investigate changes in the geographic and temporal distribution of alleles and haplotypes. Our analyses enhanced understanding of the roles developmental genes have on the timing of heading date in wheat under varying environmental conditions, which could be used by breeding programs to improve breeding strategies under current and future climate scenarios. The significant main effects and two-way interactions between the candidate genes explained an average of 44% of variability in heading date at each environment. Among the loci we evaluated, most of the variation in heading date was explained by Ppd-D1, Ppd-B1, and their interaction. The prevalence of the photoperiod sensitive alleles Ppd-A1b, Ppd-B1b, and Ppd-D1b has gradually decreased in U.S. Great Plains germplasm over the past century. There is also geographic variation for photoperiod sensitive and reduced-height alleles, with germplasm from breeding programs in the northern Great Plains having greater incidences of the photoperiod sensitive alleles and lower incidence of the semi-dwarf alleles than germplasm from breeding programs in the central or southern plains.