Identification of genomic regions conferring rust resistance and enhanced mineral accumulation in a HarvestPlus Association Mapping Panel of wheat

KEY MESSAGE: New genomic regions for high accumulation of 10 minerals were identified. The 1B:1R and 2NS translocations enhanced concentrations of four and two minerals, respectively, in addition to disease resistance. Puccinia species, the causal agents of rust diseases of wheat, have the potential to cause total crop failures due their high evolutionary ability to acquire virulence for resistance genes deployed in commercial cultivars. Hence, the discovery of genetically diverse sources of rust resistance is essential. On the other hand, biofortification of wheat for essential nutrients, such as zinc (Zn) and iron (Fe), is also an objective in wheat improvement programs to tackle micronutrient deficiency. The development of rust-resistant and nutrient-concentrated wheat cultivars would be important for sustainable production and the fight against malnutrition. The HarvestPlus association mapping panel (HPAMP) that included nutrient-dense sources from diverse genetic backgrounds was genotyped using a 90 K Infinium SNP array and 13 markers linked with rust resistance genes. The HPAMP was used for genome-wide association mapping to identify genomic regions underpinning rust resistance and mineral accumulation. Twelve QTL for rust resistance and 53 for concentrations of 10 minerals were identified. Comparison of results from this study with the published QTL information revealed the detection of already known and some putatively new genes/QTL underpinning stripe rust and leaf rust resistance in this panel. Thirty-six new QTL for mineral concentration were identified on 17 chromosomes. Accessions carrying the 1B:1R translocation accumulated higher concentrations of Zn, Fe, Copper (Cu) and sulphur (S). The 2NS segment showed enhanced accumulation of grain Fe and Cu. Fifteen rust-resistant and biofortified accessions were identified for use as donor sources in breeding programs.