Freezing Tolerance and Genetic Marker Maps in Wheat

Scott Wesley Carle

Triticum aestivum (wheat) plays a large role in human nutrition and is grown around the world. In many temperate climates, winter wheat is grown, which must survive freezing stress over the winter months in order to produce grain in the summer. The only practical method of protecting the crop from the freezing stress of a harsh winter is to make sure the plants can protect themselves. It is therefore vital that wheat breeders releasing new winter wheat cultivars for temperate climates are able to select for sufficient genetic capacity for freezing tolerance. Many studies around the world have attempted to identify loci contributing to variable freezing tolerance (among other traits) in wheat, and have published regions and markers within the wheat genome which they found to be significant. However, there are difficulties in verifying and applying that knowledge in breeding programs working with different germplasm. This dissertation devoted substantial effort to identifying the genetic factors that were varying in the germplasm of the Pacific Northwest, and diagnosing the effectiveness of different methods of applying markers to assist in selecting for them. No trait exists in isolation, and efforts to improve a trait in plant breeding must be coupled with methods that allow for the maintenance and improvement of other traits. There is a deluge of genetic data that offers exciting opportunities for such possibilities. A quality reference map of the wheat genome was recently published, large consensus maps spanning genome have been developed, marker databases continue to grow, and the tools we need to integrate these new resources with knowledge about loci of interest are still in development. In order to help facilitate integration of these data a software script suite for the organization, processing, and visualization of large amounts of genetic data was developed and used to help resolve some inconsistencies within the resources already mentioned. By providing new data to help with selecting for freezing tolerant wheat, by developing new tools, and by improving genetic database resources, this dissertation aimed to help researchers and breeders continue to make progress in the agronomic improvement of wheat.

Freezing Tolerance and Genetic Marker Maps in Wheat

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