Allelic variation at the vernalization response (Vrn-1) and photoperiod sensitivity (Ppd-1) genes and their association with the development of durum wheat landraces and modern cultivars

Wheat adaptability to a wide range of environmental conditions is mostly determined by allelic diversity within genes controlling vernalization requirement (Vrn-1) and photoperiod sensitivity (Ppd-1). We characterized a panel of 151 durum wheat Mediterranean landraces and 20 representative locally adapted modern cultivars for their allelic composition at Vrn-1 and Ppd-1 gene using diagnostic molecular markers and studied their association with the time needed to reach six growth stages under field conditions over 6 years. Compared with the more diverse and representative landrace collection, the set of modern cultivars were characterized by a reduction of 50% in the number of allelic variants at the Vrn-A1 and Vrn-B1 genes, and the high frequency of mutant alleles conferring photoperiod insensitivity at Ppd-A1, which resulted on a shorter cycle length. Vrn-A1 played a greater role than Vrn-B1 in regulating crop development (Vrn-A1 > Vrn-B1). The results suggest that mutations in the Vrn-A1 gene may have been the most important in establishing the spring growth habit of Mediterranean landraces and modern durum cultivars. The allele Vrn-A1d, found in 10 landraces, delayed development. The relative effects of single Vrn-A1 alleles on delaying the development of the landraces were vrn-A1 = Vrn-A1d > Vrn-A1b > Vrn-A1c. Allele vrn-B1 was present in all except two landraces and in all modern cultivars. The null allele at Ppd-A1 (a deletion first observed in the French bread wheat cultivar 'Capelle-Desprez') was found for the first time in durum wheat in the present study that identified it in 30 landraces from 13 Mediterranean countries. Allele Ppd-A1a (GS105) was detected in both germplasm types, while the allele Ppd-A1a (GS100) was found only in modern North American and Spanish cultivars. The relative effect of single Ppd-A1 alleles on extending phenological development was Ppd-A1(DelCD) > Ppd-A1b > Ppd-A1a (GS105) > Ppd-A1a (GS100). Sixteen Vrn-1+Ppd-1 allelic combinations were found in landraces and six in modern cultivars, but only three were common to both panels. Differences in the number of days to reach anthesis were 10 days in landraces and 3 days in modern cultivars. Interactive effects between Vrn-1 and Ppd-1 genes were detected.

This research was funded by the projects AGL-2006-09226-C02-01 and AGL2012-37217 from the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (http://www.mineco.gob.es). The authors thank the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness and the CERCA Programme/Generalitat de Catalunya (http://cerca.cat/) for supporting our research.