Proceedings of the XLVII Italian Society of Agricultural Genetics - SIGA Annual Congress

Verona, Italy - 24/27 September, 2003

ISBN 88-900622-4-X

Oral Communication Abstract - S2l

BREEDING TRITORDEUM FOR HIGH CAROTENOID CONTENT

S.G. ATIENZA*^,**^,***, P. HERNÁNDEZ**, J.B. ÁLVAREZ****, C. M. RAMÍREZ**, J. BALLESTEROS**, L.M. MARTÍN****, A. MARTÍN**

*) Departamento de Agronomía y Mejora Genética, IAS-CSIC, Córdoba, España

**) C.I.F.A. Departamento de Mejora y Agronomía, Apdo. 3092, 14080 Córdoba, España

***) Present address: Istituto Sperimentale per la Cerealicoltura. Sezione de Fiorenzuola d’Arda, Via S. Protaso 302, I-29017 Fiorenzuola d‘Arda (PC), Italy

****) Departamento de Genética. Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingenieros Agrónomos y de Montes. Universidad de Córdoba, Apdo. 3048, E-14080 Córdoba, Spain

breeding, tritordeum, QTL mapping, carotenoids, end-use

The hexaploid tritordeum (AABBH^chH^ch) is the amphiploid obtained after chromosome doubling of hybrids between Hordeum chilense Roem. et Schultz. and durum wheat Triticum turgidum ssp. durum (Desf.) Husn. This amphiploid is the subject of a breeding programme as a new crop or as bridge to transfer useful genes from H. chilense to wheat (Martín and Cubero 1981, Martín et al. 1998). Breeding for end-use quality is one of the most important tasks within cereals. In this work we present the breeding for high carotenoid content in tritordeum. Carotenoids are responsible of the yellow colour that is of prime importance for pasta and Chinese alkaline noodle productions. Tritordeums show a higher carotenoid content than their respective wheat parents (Alvarez et al. 1999). Consequently, the genes responsible for this difference are inherited from H. chilense. We have used suitable material for the study of the genetics of the high carotenoid content in tritordeum. In this way, first we used a set of chromosome addition lines for the entries H1 and H7 of H. chilense in durum wheat developed by (Miller et al. 1981). Using this set of addition lines, Alvarez et al. (1998) found that the genes for carotenoid content are located in the alpha-arm of the chromosome 7 of H. chilense. This work constituted the first step for the localization of the genes controlling the carotenoid content in H. chilense. In a second step we have developed a genetic linkage map derived from the H1 and H7 lines, contrasting for the carotenoid content (Hernández et al. 2001). Using this map we have detected a new QTL located on chromosome 2 explaining about the 14,8% of the phenotypic variance and named Carot1. This result constitutes a first step to develop a MAS program for carotenoid content in tritordeum. This will be very useful in both tritordeum breeding and to transfer the genes for high carotenoid content from tritordeum to bread wheat.

As conclusions,

-Tritordeum shows a higher carotenoid content than both bread and durum wheat.

-The alpha-arm of the chromosome 7 of H. chilense is responsible for high carotenoid content as showed using chromosome addition lines.

-The chromosome 2 of H. chilense contains a QTL responsible for high carotenoid content.

-These results are helpful towards the development of molecular markers suitable for a MAS program for tritordeum breeding and for introgressing these genes into bread wheat.