Quantitative trait loci conferring grain selenium nutrient in durum wheat × wild emmer wheat RIL population

Abstract

The genetic and phenotypic basis of grain selenium concentration (GSeC) and yield per plant (GSeY) was studied in a tetraploid wheat population consisting of 152 F6 recombinant inbred lines (RILs) derived from a cross between Triticum dicoccoides (accession G18-16) and durum wheat cultivar Langdon (LDN) grown under three different environments over 2 years. Wide genetic variation was found among RILs for GSeC and GSeY. A total of 15 QTL effects on 9 chromosomes associated with GSeC and GSeY were detected, with a logarithm od the odds (LOD) score ranging from ca. 3.2 to 11.7, explaining 1.4% to 18.6% of the phenotypic variation. Higher GSeC and GSeY were conferred by the G18-16 allele at 10 loci and by the LDN allele at 5 loci. Seven QTLs showed interactions with environmental conditions. Five genomic regions harbouring QTLs for grain Se concentrations and yields were selected for further marker-assisted selection programs, facilitating the use of wild alleles for improvement of elite wheat cultivars.