Genetic analysis of plant developmental traits contributing to increased winter-hardiness in winter wheat

冬小麦比春小麦具有优势，因为它产量更高（25%），更有效地利用春季水分，并通过在秋季和早春提供地面覆盖来减少土壤侵蚀。冬小麦在春季初期的快速生长使其能够通过提早开花来战胜杂草并逃避赤霉病的感染高峰。然而，加拿大大草原生产者要求冬小麦具有更强的抗寒性和更好的冬季生存能力，以提供足够的保险，防止冬季和春季突然寒流造成的损失。冬小麦田间存活取决于两个主要因素：（i）在秋季冷驯化期间积累的低温（LT）耐受性的量;（ii）影响冬季冷去驯化速率的因素。冷驯化和去驯化过程影响植物的生长发育，决定植物的越冬能力。拟议的项目建立在我们最近结束的基因组加拿大项目，并侧重于发展性状，如最终叶片数，匍匐生长习惯，株高，顶部节间长度，我们假设是至关重要的冬季生存。我们的前期研究结果表明，染色体1B、2B、6A、6D、7A、B和D与上述发育性状有关。在这个项目中，我们将对与感兴趣的性状相关的染色体区域进行DNA测序。生物信息学分析和比较基因组学将识别基因，功能分析将确认它们在冬小麦田间生存中的作用。这项研究的成功完成将阐明植物适应性策略科普冰冻胁迫的遗传/分子机制。我们建议开发理想的等位基因（基因）组合的发育性状，以提高冬季生存。科学进步将有助于开发“弹性冬小麦”，这种小麦不仅能承受加拿大严酷的冬季，而且还具有减轻气候变化造成的不稳定天气影响的基因/性状。

Winter wheat has an advantage over spring varieties as it yields higher (25%), uses spring moisture more efficiently and reduces soil erosion by providing ground cover during the fall and early spring. Rapid initial spring growth of winter wheat allows it to out-compete weeds and escape peak of Fusarium head blight infections by flowering early. However, Canadian prairie producers require winter wheat with increased cold hardiness and improved winter survival to provide adequate insurance against losses due to sudden cold snaps during winter and spring. Winter wheat field survival depends on two major factors: (i) amount of low temperature (LT) tolerance accumulated during fall cold acclimation, and (ii) factors affecting cold de-acclimation rate during the winter months. The processes of cold acclimation and de-acclimation influence plant development, which determines winter field survival capability. The proposed project builds on our recently concluded Genome Canada project and focuses on developmental traits such as final leaf number, prostrate growth habit, plant height, and top internode length which we hypothesize are critical for winter survival. Our earlier results show that chromosomes 1B, 2B, 6A, 6D, 7A, B and D are associated with the mentioned developmental traits. In this project we will DNA sequence the chromosomal regions associated with traits of interest. Bioinformatics analysis and comparative genomics will identify genes and functional analysis will confirm their role in winter wheat field survival. Successful completion of this research will elucidate genetic/molecular mechanisms underlying plant's adaptive strategies to cope with freezing stress. We propose to develop ideal allele (gene) combinations of developmental traits for improved winter survival. Scientific advances will contribute to development of 'Resilient Winter Wheat', which will not only withstand harsh Canadian winters, but also possess genes/traits which mitigate the effects of erratic weather caused by climate change.