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Genotypes with longer coleoptiles can be sown in deep soil layers to reach the underground moisture needed for germination in dry areas. Developing new varieties with longer coleoptiles and shorter plant heights would be novel for wheat breeding and production. In this study, coleoptile lengths of a panel of durum wheat (Triticum turgidum ssp. durum) genotypes were determined, and 14,255 DArTseq (SNP and Silico‐DArT) markers were used to identify coleoptile length‐associated markers by genome‐wide association study (GWAS). A wide genetic variation was accounted for both coleoptile length and plant height. The genetic relationships between coleoptile length and plant height were evaluated using plant height values from five different environments. Two environmentally stable MTAs were identified, one for coleoptile length (QCol.su.4BS) and one for plant height (QPh.su.4BS). These MTAs were located on the short arm of chromosome 4B, with LOD scores up to 12.00 and 17.00, respectively. A relatively high LD (r2 = 0.71) was accounted for between QCol.su.4BS and QPh.su.4BS. The LD block intervals of the MTAs overlapped with some genes with roles in plant growth and development. The functions of plausible candidate genes tell us that QCol.su.4BS may be controlling coleoptile length, whereas QPh.su.4BS may be regulating plant height. The combination of the two loci would be desirable. In conclusion, this study sheds light on the genetic control of coleoptile length and its relationship with plant height in durum wheat. Core Ideas: Cultivars with longer coleoptiles perform better at emergence and seedling establishment.A diverse durum wheat panel was studied using GWAS analysis to evaluate coleoptile length and plant height.Two significant and stable genomic regions were identified for coleoptile length and plant height.These regions might enhance coleoptile length while reducing plant height. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cadmium (Cd) is a non-essential heavy metal having toxic effects on all living organisms. Durum wheat (Triticum durum Desf.) is widely used in human diets but has the potential to accumulate Cd. It also has a high level of genetic diversity, which may be exploited to develop cultivars with low Cd content. We aimed to perform marker-assisted selection and validate previously identified Cd markers in durum wheat germplasm for use in the investigation of accessions that accumulate low grain Cd content. We assessed 130 durum wheat accessions phenotypically and using three different molecular markers. Grain Cd contents of the studied germplasm varied 4.91-fold (26.2–128.7 μg/kg) with an average of 58.2 μg/kg. Landraces showed lower average values of grain Cd content than cultivars. Three molecular markers (usw47, Cad-5B and KASP marker Cad-5B) were used to differentiate high and low Cd accumulating lines. Results showed high correlation and successfully classified the accessions to the expected high or low Cd level; 87 accessions showed the low Cd alleles, and 43 accessions the high Cd alleles, except for five accessions with the usw47 marker that showed heterozygous status. A significant correlation coefficient (r = 0.944*) was observed among the three molecular markers. Based on molecular markers, 96.2% of the accessions were classified accurately. The KASP assay was highly effective in successfully separating low from high Cd content accessions and could be used as a molecular tool in durum wheat breeding programs, with less cost and time, targeting reduced grain Cd levels. The results of this study will allow durum wheat breeders to accelerate their progress to select suitable genotypes with the desired alleles. Durum wheat (Triticum durum Desf.) has great genetic diversity and is widely used in human diets but has the potential to accumulate Cd, which has significant adverse effects on human health. We assessed 130 durum wheat accessions phenotypically and using three different molecular markers. Results showed that utilisation of appropriate molecular markers will reduce the time and cost for grain Cd evaluation, and will allow durum breeders to accelerate progress to select genotypes with desired alleles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Durum wheat (Triticum turgidum L.) is the 10th most cultivated crop and is a vital food source for human consumption. Genetic diversity in durum wheat is still an unexplored subject, and gene banks are filled with accessions waiting to be screened. Here, four different groups of durum wheat, Turkish and foreign cultivars, and in situ and ex situ landraces were evaluated for population structure and genetic diversity. A collection of 129 durum wheat accessions were genotyped, with a total of 6,357 markers (SilicoDArT, SNP [single‐nucleotide polymorphism], and simple sequence repeats [SSRs]). The highest mean allele number per marker (1.562) was obtained with SNP markers in ex situ landraces; the lowest mean allele number per marker (0.788) was obtained with SSR markers in the foreign cultivars. The minimum percentage of polymorphic loci was 38.70% observed with SSR markers in foreign cultivars; the maximum was 76.20% in SilicoDArT markers in ex situ landraces. According to Neighbor‐Joining analyses, the studied collection was divided into groups of cultivars and landraces, with some level of admixtures. Structure and principal coordinate analysis obtained distinct clusters for ex situ landraces and foreign cultivars, supported by Neighbor‐Joining analysis. A significant level of intergroup and intragroup variation was observed, and Turkish ex situ landraces were found as the most diverse and distinct group in the collection. Turkish landraces may be a promising source of novel allelic diversity that can be used in durum wheat breeding worldwide. Core Ideas: Turkish durum wheat landraces may provide novel allelic diversity.Turkish durum wheat cultivars released in the late 20th century has close pedigree relations with foreign cultivars.Turkish modern wheat germplasm/gene pool have experienced a bottleneck for several reasons.Turkish cultivars divide into two distinct groups: foreign related and landrace related. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Durum wheat genetic resources from Turkey and Syria are expected to harbor novel alleles for most traits that are of interest to breeders and consumers. However, there have not been sufficient efforts to investigate the genetic structure of this gene pool. In this study, cultivar Kunduru-1149 (selected from one of the unique landraces, Kunduru) from Anatolia was crossed with a Syrian cultivar, Cham1, to produce recombinant inbred lines (RILs) for quantitative trait locus (QTL) analysis. The RIL population was genotyped with simple sequence repeats, amplified fragment length polymorphism, and seed storage protein markers and analyzed for 9 different important quality traits of durum wheat in 8 different environments in Turkey, Syria, and Lebanon. We identified 59 QTLs of various quality and rheology traits using single-marker analysis. Some of the QTLs were also reported in earlier studies; however, new major QTLs were also identified in our QTL mapping population. In future studies, after validation, the markers linked with these QTLs can be used in marker-assisted durum wheat breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Fertile Crescent is a primary center of wheat domestication and diversity. Despite its importance for bread wheat breeding, few efforts have been made to fully understand the genetic structure of the Anatolian bread wheat. A lack of information regarding the genetic structure of the bread wheat from this region is evident. Therefore, this study aimed to provide new insights into the genetic structure of bread wheat from Anatolia. A genetic linkage map was constructed based on recombinant inbred lines derived from a cross between the Turkish cultivar Gerek-79 and the Moroccan cultivar Arrehane, by using DArT markers anchored with simple sequence repeat markers. This map consisted of 54 linkage groups belonging to 21 bread wheat chromosomes, spanning a total of 935.629 cM. The total number of mapped markers varied from 5 to 87, depending on the chromosome. Seventy-seven DArT markers with unpublished chromosomal locations were mapped on different chromosomes, whereas 23 were mapped onto chromosomes that deviated from those detailed in the literature. This linkage map represents a key starting point towards our understanding of the genome structure of Anatolian bread wheat, which would, in turn, permit us to genetically dissect important agromorphological and quality characteristics. This linkage map will be useful for the identification of QTL for biotic and abiotic stresses, and for important agronomic traits that are valuable for Anatolian wheat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]