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Exploring the breeding utilization of the dwarfing gene Rht-D1 in wheat in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River

JIANG Peng1,2,*,WU Lei1,2,HUANG Qian-Nan3,LI Chang1,WANG Hua-Dun1,2,HE Yi1,2,ZHANG Peng1,2,ZHANG Xu1,2,4,*   

  1. 1 CIMMYT-JAAS Joint Center for Wheat Diseases / the Research Center of Wheat Scab / Key Laboratory of Germplasm Innovation in Downstream of Huaihe River (Nanjing), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing 210014, Jiangsu, China; 2 Zhongshan Biological Breeding Laboratory, Nanjing 210014, Jiangsu, China; 3 Yili Institute of Agricultural Science, Yining 835000, Xinjiang, China; 4 Collaborative Innovation Center for Modern Crop Production Co-sponsored by Province and Ministry, Nanjing 210095, Jiangsu, China
  • Received:2025-01-24 Revised:2025-04-27 Accepted:2025-04-27 Published:2025-05-26
  • Supported by:
    This study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (32372186), Zhongshan Biological Breeding Laboratory (ZSBBL-KY2023-02), International Scientific and Technological Cooperation Projects of Jiangsu Province (BZ2024043), and the China Agriculture Research System of MOF and MARA (CARS-03-57).

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Abstract:

Rht-B1 and Rht-D1 are the most widely utilized dwarfing genes in wheat breeding worldwide. In the long-term breeding practices of the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River in China, there has been a clear preference for dwarfing genes, with Rht-B1b being the predominant allele. To diversify dwarfing gene types and broaden the genetic base of local wheat varieties, this study aimed to introduce the major dwarfing allele Rht-D1b—commonly used in the Huang-Huai wheat region—into the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River. Parental lines from both regions were used for hybridization, and progeny carrying different dwarfing genes were selected. Field-based phenotypic evaluations were then conducted to provide theoretical and germplasm support for future breeding efforts. The results showed no significant differences between Rht-D1b and Rht-B1b lines in traits such as spike number per unit area, plant height, spike length, flag leaf length and width, or angles between leaf and stem. However, the lines carrying Rht-D1b exhibited a significantly higher number of spikelets, a favorable trait with potential to enhance yield. On the other hand, Rht-D1b lines showed a markedly higher incidence of Fusarium head blight (FHB) infection compared to Rht-B1b lines. Importantly, the incorporation of FHB resistance genes substantially improved FHB resistance in lines with both dwarfing gene types. This study demonstrates that the introduction of Rht-D1b into wheat breeding programs in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River can effectively increase spikelet number and yield potential. Furthermore, the integration of FHB resistance genes can mitigate associated disease susceptibility. These newly developed lines also have potential as resistant parental materials for use in the Huang-Huai wheat breeding programs.

Key words: wheat, the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, dwarfing genes, winter-spring hybridization, Fusarium head blight

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