THEME – 3 Wheat Improvement for the Changing Climate: Adaptation to Heat Stress Environments

Wheat Improvement for the Changing Climate:

Adaptation to Heat Stress Environments

Izzat S. A. Tahir

ARC/ICARDA

International Workshop on: “Applied Mathematics and Omics Technologies for Discovering Biodiversity and Genetic Resources for Climate Change Mitigation and

Adaptation to Sustain Agriculture in Drylands”

Rabat - Morocco, 24-27 June 2014

Outlines

• Climate change and its effects on wheat production

• Breeding strategy and methodology

• Wheat improvement for heat tolerance

• Broadening the wheat genetic diversity

• Crop management

• Integrated approaches

• Precision Phenotyping Platforms

• Conclusions

Abstract

Breeding high-yielding wheat varieties adapted to diverse environments is regarded as one of the most important means needed to meet the ever increasing global demand for wheat especially in the light of the ensuing climate change. Genetic improvement of wheat yield could be through a better exploitation of genetic diversity, understanding and mining physiological traits associated with climate change and then utilization these traits via their introduction into new varieties by conventional breeding and/or genetic manipulation. Multiple synthetic derivatives (MSD) developed by Tottori University utilizing diverse sources of Aegilops tauschii are being evaluated for heat stress tolerance in Sudan. Multi-location evaluation and selection is essential for identifying high-yielding better adapted wheat varieties. In this respect, close collaboration, coordination and communication are needed among the national (NARS), regional and international wheat research centers and scientific community. One of the good examples for such collaboration between NARS and international center is wheat improvement under heat stress condition coordinated by CIMMYT/ICARDA. In this regard, wheat germplasm targeted to heat stress areas is evaluated and selected under temperature gradients ranging from favorable to very high temperatures. Some stress adaptive traits have been identified and could be used for further improvement and mining the genetic resources for heat stress tolerance. Promising lines identified have been shared among west and east African low lands experiencing high temperature during the growing season. This is further supported by the plan to set up Precision Wheat Phenotyping Platforms (PWPPs) anticipated to improve the breadth and quality of data collected and shared among wheat scientists.

Climate change and its effects on wheat production

• Increased frequency of: • Heat stress,

• Droughts

• Flooding

• Reduced crop yields.

• Food insecurity due to extreme climate events

• Countries with less wealth and natural resource adapt less efficiently to climate change

IPCC, 2007

Climate change and its effects on wheat production, cont.

• Global warming: • Could be beneficial for wheat in some regions,

• Could reduce productivity in zones where optimal

temperatures already exist.

• How to adapt and mitigate the climate change effects:

• Germplasm development

• Crop management

• Mitigation

(Climate change: Can wheat beat the heat? (Ortiz et

al. 2008).

Figs. Adapted from Lobell et al. 2008. Science , 319: 607-610

Breeding Strategy and Methodology

• Broadening the genetic base and enhancing variability:

Locally adapted cultivars

Landraces

Wild relatives

Derived synthetic wheat

Winter wheat gene

Breeding Strategy and Methodology, cont.

• Strategic trait-based crossing to address different objectives:

Yield potential

Biotic stresses

Abiotic stresses (e.g. Heat stress)

Grain quality

Bringing drought and heat adaptive traits together in one genotype could increase wheat yields particularly in low yielding environments. Lopes et al. 2012. Field Crops Res. 128:129–136

Breeding Strategy and Methodology, cont.

• Biotech Tools: • Doubled haploid

(Anther/microspore culture)

• Molecular Breeding

Multi-environment testing and evaluation • Yield potential

• Breeding for Abiotic Stress Tolerance:

• Cold

• Drought

• Heat stress

Attempts to expand wheat into heat-stressed

areas in Central Sudan from 1918-1940 failed

due to the lack of: Adapted cultivars

Appropriate cultural practices

Intensified wheat breeding in collaboration with CG Centers resulted in the release of several heat stress tolerant cultivars,

The major outcome was the expansion of wheat to new heat-stressed areas.

An example

The genetic gain in grain yield under the heat stress

environment of Sudan was estimated to be 30.2 kg/ha/year

Tahir et al. 2000

Wheat improvement for heat tolerance

Wad Medani

Dongola

Sids

Screening and Selection for Heat Tolerance: Temperature gradient

Mean temperatures (0C) during crop season (LTA)

28.9

20.8

16.4

0 20 40

Wad Medani,Sudan

Dongola, Sudan

Sids, Egypt

Days to heading and grain yield across sites

8860

5250

3540

89

68

59

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

0

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

7000

8000

9000

10000

Sids(Egypt)

Dongola(N Sudan)

WadMedani (C

Sudan)

Grain yield (kg/ha)

Days to heading

Screening/Selection for heat tolerance: Hot spots

• Advanced lines and

segregating populations (F3-

F6) evaluated at Wad Medani,

Sudan.

• Visual selection have been

made

• More than 65% of visually

selected lines were of high

yield

Materials received from CIMMYT, ICARDA + National Program evaluated and selected under temperature gradients

/

• Selected elite lines redistributed to different East and west African countries involved in SARD-SC Wheat Project

• Promising and encouraging results obtained

Partners countries expressed their

satisfaction with the material received and evaluated

A number of entries have been frequently

selected by partners form the nurseries received

Some lines selected across several environments

Preliminary Results (2013/2014 Season):

REYNA-28

REYNA-29

JNRB.5/PIFED

KINGBRD#1//INQALAB91*2/TUKURU

HUBARA-3*2/SHUHA-4

HUBARA-16/2*SOMAMA-3

KAUZ'S'/FLORKWA-1//GOUMRIA-3

SERI.1B*2/3/KAUZ*2/BOW//KAUZ/4/ANGI-2

ATTILA 50Y//ATTILA/BCN/3/STAR*MUSK-3

SERI.1B*2/3/KAUZ*2/BOW//KAUZ/4/KAUZ/FLORKWA-1

Most frequently selected lines/families:

More studies at molecular level:

• Association Mapping Panel (GRDC Project)

• WAM I

• Physiological and Molecular Breeding

Broadening the wheat genetic diversity for abiotic stress tolerance (Multiple Synthetic Derivatives, MSD

Tsujimoto et al.

• Genetic diversity of diverse 51 accessions of Aegilops tauschi was analyzed using DArT markers.

• The accessions were crossed with a durum wheat to produce 51 amphidiploids designated as primary synthetics

• Each primary synthetic line was crossed with ‘Norin 61

Stress adaptive traits

Canopy temperature Fig. adapted from Pask et al . 2012

Ground cover Fig. adapted from Pask et al . 2012

Stomatal conductance

Key developmental (phenological) stages

NUT

H2O

CHO

CHO

Stem Reserve Remobilization

NUT

H2O

Crop management

• Raised bed planting

• Conservation Agriculture

• New Irrigation systems

More approaches

• Mathematics, Omics and Modeling

• Network s

• Facilities

• Platforms for integrated solution

Credit agencies

Trader/marketer

transporter

NGOs

Farmers

Government policies, Informal institutions, practices, behaviors and attitudes

NARS

Extension

agencies

Education

and training

organizations

Development

agencies

SARD-SC Wheat

Research teams

Local and

regional

decision

makers

Service providers

Manufacturers

IAR4D and Innovation Systems: Innovation Platform

Precision Phenotyping Platforms

• Precision Wheat Phenotyping Platforms (PWPPs) anticipated to:

• Improve the breadth and quality of data collected

• Data and knowledge shared among wheat scientists.

• Wad Medani, Sudan is proposed as PWPP for heat stress

Conclusions • Better exploitation of genetic diversity,

understanding and mining physiological climate change-adaptive traits and their utilization .

• Multi-location testing is important for spatial adaptation and identification of temporally stable, stress tolerant germplasm

• Evaluation at hot spots has resulted in the development of several promising lines tolerance to abiotic stresses

• Broadening the wheat genetic diversity

• Networking and international collaboration

• Platforms for Integrated solution