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- ✔ Published in indexed journal
- ✔ No retraction or integrity flags
Overview
This study investigates the genetic architecture of plant height in wheat through association mapping and validation analysis. Plant height substantially influences lodging resistance and yield potential in Triticum aestivum L., making elucidation of its genetic basis critical for cultivar development. The research identified and characterized four stable quantitative trait loci regulating plant height in wheat germplasm from Sichuan province, with particular emphasis on two putatively novel loci and their pleiotropic effects on agronomic traits.
Methods and approach
A panel of 224 Sichuan wheat cultivars was phenotyped for plant height across three environmental conditions. Genotyping was performed using a 120 K single nucleotide polymorphism array. Genome-wide association analysis identified quantitative trait loci associated with plant height variation. Identified loci were validated using an independent validation panel. Pleiotropy analysis examined associations between loci and secondary morphological and yield-related traits. Candidate gene identification was conducted within significant locus intervals with focus on genes involved in hormonal signaling and transcriptional regulation.
Key Findings
Genome-wide association analysis detected four stable quantitative trait loci on chromosomes 3D, 4D, 5A, and 7A. Two loci, designated QPH.sau.4D and QPH.sau.7A, were classified as putatively novel and exhibited significant height-reducing effects confirmed in the validation panel. Pleiotropy analysis revealed distinct mechanistic associations: QPH.sau.3D coordinated increased plant height with longer spikes, elevated grain number, and increased grain weight. QPH.sau.5A increased plant height, tiller number, and grain weight but reduced spikelet number, reflecting a trade-off between vegetative biomass allocation and reproductive tissue formation. QPH.sau.7A demonstrated more specific effects, with associations to increased thousand-grain weight in the validation cohort. Four candidate genes were identified within the quantitative trait locus intervals with putative roles in hormonal signaling and transcriptional regulation pathways.
Implications
The identification of stable and putatively novel quantitative trait loci provides genetic resources for marker-assisted selection programs targeting optimized plant architecture and yield potential in wheat breeding. The characterization of pleiotropy patterns reveals distinct physiological mechanisms underlying height regulation, enabling more refined selection strategies that balance height reduction with maintenance of agronomically favorable trait combinations. The validation of identified loci in independent germplasm demonstrates their robustness and transferability across wheat populations, supporting their utility in cultivar development pipelines.
Disclosure
- Research title: Genetic identification and characterization of putatively novel, stable, and validated loci for plant height in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)
- Authors: Qifu Yao, Bin Chen, Md Nahibuzzaman Lohani, Qian Chen, Tongzhu Wang, Jiating Chen, Chao Wang, Hui Li, Lu Lu, Ahsan Habib, Jian Ma, Quan Xie
- Institutions: Khulna University, Nanjing Agricultural University, Sichuan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Sichuan Agricultural University, Sichuan Tourism University, Tongren University
- Publication date: 2026-02-27
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12864-026-12693-z
- OpenAlex record: View
- Image credit: Photo by donauwood_de on Pixabay (Source • License)
- Disclosure: This post was generated by Claude (Anthropic). The original authors did not write or review this post.
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