Title : Advancing heat-resilient wheat: Screening, QTL mapping, and quality assessment for climate-smart breeding
Abstract:
Heat stress is a major constraint on global wheat production, necessitating the development of heat-resilient varieties through advanced screening and breeding strategies. This study evaluates heat tolerance in commercially used cultivars, selected heat tolerant cultivars Scout and Gladius and screened doubled haploid (DH) wheat population derived from them, through a combination of field and glasshouse trials. A comprehensive assessment of 210 DH lines and 320 wheat varieties (commercial and landraces) was conducted, focusing on key physiological and agronomic traits such as stay-green capacity and grain yield. Field trials validated 24 genotypes selected from previous experiments, with several lines demonstrating superior heat tolerance and stable yields, making them strong candidates for breeding programs. In controlled glasshouse experiments, heat stress at anthesis led to significant reductions in leaf area, and flag leaf width, with some genotypes showing partial recovery, highlighting varying levels of resilience. Additionally, quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping was conducted to identify genomic regions associated with heat resistance, and the selected heat-tolerant genotypes are being incorporated into breeding program. This study also focus on evaluating the flour quality of these selected varieties, particularly their total protein and carbohydrate content, with an emphasis on gluten and proline composition. This research contributes to the identification of heat-tolerant wheat lines, supporting the development of climate-resilient crops and enhancing global food security.
Key Words: Wheat, Heat Stress, Screening, Double Haploid, Breeding, Flour Quality
