QTL associated with adaptation to Mediterranean Dryland conditions in the barley cross Arta x Keel

L Sanchez Alvarez, J Rollins, M Baum, S Ceccarelli, S Grando, M von KorffMax Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research, Köln, GermanyInternational Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas, ICARDA, Syria

Introduction and ObjectivesThe study aims at identifying the genetic basis for agronomic

performance in dry Mediterranean environments. We use a QTLapproach to map different agronomic traits recorded in the field andphysiological and protein changes in the RILs grown under drought inthe greenhouse.

The different environments analyzed showed a large variation intemperature and rainfall distribution which resulted in significantgenotype by environment interactions. Developmental andmorphological traits affected grain yield differently in differentenvironments which was reflected in a number of QTL by environmentinteractions.

QTL main effects across all environments were only detected for plantheight, peduncle length, kernel weight and growth vigor. Grain yieldunder drought was mainly affected by flowering time. Epistaticinteractions between different parental alleles at Vrn-H1, Vrn-H2 and aQTL on 7HL caused late flowering and a concomitant decline in yield.

A recombinant inbred barley population derived from Arta x Keel was grown at twodifferent field locations in Syria from 2006-2008 including additional springplantings in 2007 and 2008 at both locations. A mixed model approach was used todetect QTL and marker by environment interactions. The population is currentlytested for differences in physiological traits and protein expression under controland drought conditions in the greenhouse.

Results

QTL Analysis for Agronomic Traits under Drought in RILs (Arta x Keel)

Thousand Kernel Weight

0

5

10

15

20

25

Control Drought

Tho

usa

nd

Ker

nel

Wei

ght

Arta Keel

AB

C

D

Water Use Efficiency

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

Control StressGra

in w

eigh

t (g

)/w

ater

(kL)

Arta Keel

AA

BB

1HHvM36

GBM1052

scssr10226

HvHOTR1

Bmag829Bmag813

Bmag720Bmac126

GMS03Ebmac684

Bmag140

Bmag378

Hv5s

Ebmac415

Bmag749scssr8447

HY03I05T3

S53707

GBM1007

GMS021

Bmag770

Bmag718

Bmac501Bmag105a

Bmag382

GBM1461

HvLTPPBEbmac705

Scssr10559

Bmag828

Bmac209

Scssr25691

HVM60

GBM1501

HvM40

GBM1323

Ebmac906Bmag740

Bmac310

HY03C23T

Ebmac679Ebmac701

HvM67

Bmag419B

Scssr7106

Bmag5Bmag751

Bmac96

Bmac163

HVLEU

Bmag222

HK03No2R

Scssr9398

HvM74

HvPLASCB1

Bmag767

HvM4

Bmag11

Bmag120

GBM1464

BMS64

Ebmac603

Ebmac755

Hvm49

Bmag135

GMS1HvM6

scssr103

2H 3H

HVM62

Bmag606

MGB358

4H 5H 6H 7H

Arta increases trait valueKeel increases trait value

Heading date- main effect

Heading date – interaction effect

GBM5162

otto21

GMS149 GBM1469

GBM1047

GBM1143

Bmag306

VRNH2

GBM1176

DH

DH

DH

DH DHVRNH1

DH

DH

DH

DH

DH

HvFT3

DHAF043094A

Scssr10148

GBM1400

Bmag812

HK05l13r

GMS61

Scind60002

GMS6

GBM1021

GBM1075

GBM1399

GBM1270

GBM1215

Bmag496

Bmag419A

VRN3_FT1

GBM1482

HvMLOH1AGBM1256 DH

DH

Arta Keel

RIL Population

Genotyping

Agronomic traits

•Australian Feed Barley, drought tolerant•No vernalisation requirement

•Syrian Landrace, adaptedto to driest sites in Syria•Vernalisation requirement

x

Physiological traitsAgronomic traits

Protein and phosphoprotein changes

Field Controlled Conditions

Phenotyping

LEBANON

LATAKIA

TARTUS

Bairut

DAMASCUS

DARA'ASUWEIDA

1200

1000

1400

300

1000

200

600

500

400

400

400

500500

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350300 300

300250

200

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500600

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1200

1000

1400

PALMYRA

DEIR EZZOR

HASSAKEHALEPPO

HAMA

HOMS

DAMASCUS

SUWEIDA

RAQQA

BredaTel Hadya

TerbolKfardane

IRAQ

JORDAN

TURKEY

Med

iter

rane

an S

ea

L L

211.7 170.4Annual rainfall (Sept-Mai)

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

2006 2007 2008

mm

ann

ual r

ainf

all

Tel HadyaBreda

Distribution of annual rainfall (Sept-Mai)

020406080

100

S O N D J F M Amonths

mm

rai

n 200620072008

The RIL population was trialled at Tel Hadya and Breda, Syria from 2006-2008. Theenvironments were characterised by moderate to severe drought stress. Rainfalldecreased from 2006 to 2008, in particular during the major growth months February,March.

1HHvM36

GBM1052

scssr10226

HvHOTR1

Bmag829Bmag813

Bmag720Bmac126

GMS03Ebmac684

Bmag140

Bmag378

Hv5s

Ebmac415

Bmag749scssr8447

HY03I05T3

S53707

GBM1007

GMS021

Bmag770

Bmag718

Bmac501Bmag105a

Bmag382

GBM1461

HvLTPPBEbmac705

Scssr10559

Bmag828

Bmac209

Scssr25691

HVM60

GBM1501

HvM40

GBM1323

GBM1482

Ebmac906Bmag740

Bmac310

HY03C23T

Ebmac679Ebmac701

HvMLOH1A

Bmag419A

HvM67

Bmag419B

Scssr7106

Bmag5

Bmag751

Bmac96

Bmac163

HVLEU

Bmag812

HK05l13r

GMS61AF043094A

Scssr10148

Bmag222

HK03No2R

Scssr9398

Scind60002

GMS6

HvM74

HvPLASCB1

Bmag767

HvM4

Bmag11

Bmag120

GBM1464

BMS64

Ebmac603

Ebmac755

Hvm49

Bmag135

GMS1HvM6

scssr103

2H 3H

GBM1021

GBM1075

GBM1256

HVM62

Bmag606

MGB358

4H 5H 6H 7H

Vrn-H1

Main effects across environmentsArta increases trait valueKeel increases trait value

Marker * environment interaction

DH = Heading dateGY =Grain yieldKW = Kernel weightPH = Plant height

PEDEX = Peduncle extrusionGV = Growth vigour

GBM5162

otto21

GMS149 GBM1469

GBM1047

GBM1143

Bmag306

VRNH2

GBM1176

GBM1399

GBM1270

GBM1215

Bmag496

GBM1200

VRN3_FT1

GV

GV

GV

GV

GV

KW

KW

KW

KW

KW

PEDEX

PEDEX

PEDEX

PEDEX

PEDEXPH

PH

PH

PH

PH

PH

PH

PH

PH

DH

DH

DH

DH

DH

DH

DH

DH

DH

GY

GY

GY

GY

GY

GY

GY

GY

GY

Epistatic interactions for flowering

Analysis of epistatic interactions revealed interactions between QTLs and markersnot significant in the single marker analysis. The QTL at Vrn-H2 showed the largestnumber of epistatic interactions. Interactions between different parental alleles atVrn-H1, Vrn-H2 and a QTL on 7HL explained 50% of the genetic variance, causedlate flowering and a concomitant decline in yield.

Drought reduced kernel weight in Arta and Keel, while Keel showed higher kernel weightunder control and drought conditions. Keel was characterised by a higher water useefficiency than Arta.

ab

c

d

a

b

a

b