Award details

Maintaining wheat performance through improved resistance to drought

Reference	BBS/E/J/00003316
Principal Investigator / Supervisor	Professor John Snape
Co-Investigators / Co-Supervisors
Institution	John Innes Centre
Department	John Innes Centre Department
Funding type	Research
Value (£)	24,416
Status	Completed
Type	Institute Project
Start date	01/09/1997
End date	31/08/1999
Duration	24 months

Abstract

The project aims to help conserve water resources in the environment with sustainable crop production by assisting breeders to produce new drought- resistant varieties which also have great water use efficiency in seasons without drought. To achieve this the specific objectives are : 1. To improve the ability of UK farmers to choose new varieties that combine desirable characters for maintenance of crop production under drought stress by advising them on the consequences of using varieties with known agronomically important genes on characters conferring resistance to drought. 2. Assist UK breeders to maintain current rates of yield increase and grain- quality improvement through more focused breeding programmes by providing them with information on genes and with selection methods for traits which confer drought resistance, specifically: flowering date, accumulation of remobilisable carbohydrate reserves in the stem and green canopy persistence. 3. Introduce novel genetic variation into the UK gene-pool where studies show improvement of traits affecting resistance to drought is limited by genetic variation. 4. By mapping genes controlling characters conferring drought resistance, provide them as target genes for further biochemical and molecular analysis. Two parallel, complementary approaches are proposed for assisting breeders to combine characters desirable for drought resistance in new varieties: A) The effect of defined agronomically important genes on drought resistance The influences of major genes known to be associated with expression of drought-resistant characters from current work will be examined further. In addition to studying effects of known genes on target characters, a more detailed study of some of the subsidiary, pleiotropic effects of the major genes on crop growth will be undertaken. Precise genetic stocks of isogenic lines developed at the John Innes Centre for genes which affect drought-tolerant characters are available or nearing completion in modern backgrounds, specifically: Photoperiod (Ppd) genes, Dwarfing (Rht) genes and the 1BL/1RS transition. Growth and development of these isogenic lines will be monitored comprehensively in the field to detect influences of known genes on target characters together with any subsidiary, pleikotropic effects on crop growth that may intereact with target characters to modify drought performance. Experiments will incorporate irrigation treatments at ADAS Gleadthorpe and exploit a range of contrasting soil types at University of Nottingham Farm, Sutton Bonnington to maximise trait expression and confirm associations detected between specific characters and maintenance of drought performance in previous work. If negative correlations of genes with target traits are detected alternative genes not yet utilised commercially will be examined to seek more positive interactions and to provide alternative genes to be used in breeding programmes. B) Determination of genetic control of characters by examination of segregating populations derived from contrasting parents. A concurrent and complementary exercise will be carried out alongside the characterisation of effects of specific genes controlling target traits in (A). In the joint research programme of the university of Nottingham and ADAS, varietal characters have been examined for their ability to improve performance under drought stress, specifically: flowering date, soluble carbohydrate content of stems and green canopy persistence. Previous genetic stocks will be developed to map from contrasting parents new genes controlling these traits.

Summary

unavailable

Committee	Closed Committee - Plant & Microbial Sciences (PMS)
Research Topics	X – not assigned to a current Research Topic
Research Priority	X – Research Priority information not available
Research Initiative	X - not in an Initiative
Funding Scheme	X – not Funded via a specific Funding Scheme

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