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Agronomy
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Durum Wheat Breeding and Genetics
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Durum Wheat Breeding and Genetics

A special issue of Agronomy (ISSN 2073-4395). This special issue belongs to the section "Crop Breeding and Genetics".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 May 2020) | Viewed by 43217

Printed Edition Available!
A printed edition of this Special Issue is available here.

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Pasquale De Vita

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Council for Agricultural Research and Economics, Research Centre for Cereal and Industrial Crops (CREA-CI), SS 673 km 25+200, 71122 Foggia, Italy
Interests: durum wheat breeding and genetics; yield and grain quality; mapping QTL; marker-assisted selection; wheat biofortification
Dr. Francesca Taranto

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Council for Agricultural Research and Economics, Research Centre for Cereal and Industrial Crops (CREA-CI), SS 673 km 25+200, 71122 Foggia, Italy
Interests: molecular biology and genetics; genomics; genotype-by-sequencing (GBS); Mapping QTL; genome-wide association study (GWAS)
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Durum wheat is the raw material of the pasta production industry and, although less widespread than bread wheat, it has become a very important cereal product on the world market together with the increase in the demand for pasta. Considering the main distribution area of durum wheat in the Mediterranean area, which is characterized by rainy winters and dry summers, the genetic improvement of stress-related traits was usually approached by breeding directly for yield in potential environments subject to low abiotic stress. According to the main climate scenarios, the expected growth of the average annual temperature in the Mediterranean region will be slightly higher than that of the world level. Under these conditions, the production of durum wheat is threatened by the impacts of climate change, and there is a need for more sustainable development.

In this Special Issue we welcome research papers and reviews (a reduced number) dealing with topics related to the genetic improvement of durum wheat with particular reference to the key traits to increase productivity and grain quality despite increasing water scarcity, higher temperatures, and the emergence of new pests and diseases. The integration of -omics technologies is promising to revolutionize plant breeding, providing an exceptional opportunity to identify genetic variations that can be employed in durum wheat breeding programs. For these reasons, contributions highlighting the usefulness of new genotyping, phenotyping and modelling techniques to improve the understanding and prediction of complex traits (e.g. yield, protein content, interaction with weeds and soil micro-organisms, etc.), are welcome.

Dr. Pasquale De Vita
Dr. Francesca Taranto
Guest Editors

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Agronomy is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • Durum wheat
  • Yield potential and grain quality
  • Water and nitrogen use efficiency
  • Marker-assisted breeding
  • High-throughput phenotyping
  • Genomic selection

Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

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17 pages, 456 KiB  
Article
Effects of Genotype, Growing Season and Nitrogen Level on Gluten Protein Assembly of Durum Wheat Grown under Mediterranean Conditions
by Anna Gagliardi, Federica Carucci, Stefania Masci, Zina Flagella, Giuseppe Gatta and Marcella Michela Giuliani
Agronomy 2020, 10(5), 755; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy10050755 - 25 May 2020
Cited by 31 | Viewed by 3170
Abstract
Water deficit and high temperatures are the main environmental factors which affect both wheat yield and technological quality in the Mediterranean climate. The aim of the study was to evaluate the variation in the gluten protein assembly of four durum wheat genotypes in [...] Read more.
Water deficit and high temperatures are the main environmental factors which affect both wheat yield and technological quality in the Mediterranean climate. The aim of the study was to evaluate the variation in the gluten protein assembly of four durum wheat genotypes in relation to growing seasons and different nitrogen levels. The genotypes, Marco Aurelio, Quadrato, Pietrafitta and Redidenari, were grown under three nitrogen levels (36, 90 and 120 kg ha−1) during two growing seasons in Southern Italy. Significant lower yield and a higher protein concentration were observed in the year characterized by a higher temperature at the end of the crop cycle. The effect of the high temperatures on protein assembly was different for the genotypes in relation to their earliness. Based on PCA, in the warmer year, only the medium-early genotype Quadrato showed positive values along the “protein polymerization degree” factor, while the medium and medium-late genotypes, Marco Aurelio and Pietrafitta showed negative values along the “proteins assembly” factor. No clear separation along the two factors was observed for the early genotype Redidenari. The variation in gluten protein assembly observed in the four genotypes in relation to the growing season might help breeding programs to select genotypes suitable for facing the ongoing climate changes in Mediterranean area. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Durum Wheat Breeding and Genetics)
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15 pages, 1308 KiB  
Article
Durum Wheat Seminal Root Traits within Modern and Landrace Germplasm in Algeria
by Ridha Boudiar, Juan M. González, Abdelhamid Mekhlouf, Ana M. Casas and Ernesto Igartua
Agronomy 2020, 10(5), 713; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy10050713 - 16 May 2020
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 3492
Abstract
Seminal roots are known to play an important role in crop performance, particularly under drought conditions. A set of 37 durum wheat cultivars and local landraces was screened for variation in architecture and size of seminal roots using a laboratory setting, with a [...] Read more.
Seminal roots are known to play an important role in crop performance, particularly under drought conditions. A set of 37 durum wheat cultivars and local landraces was screened for variation in architecture and size of seminal roots using a laboratory setting, with a filter paper method combined with image processing by SmartRoot software. Significant genetic variability was detected for all root and shoot traits assessed. Four rooting patterns were identified, with landraces showing overall steeper angle and higher root length, in comparison with cultivars, which presented a wider root angle and shorter root length. Some traits revealed trends dependent on the genotypes’ year of release, like increased seminal root angle and reduced root size (length, surface, and volume) over time. We confirm the presence of a remarkable diversity of root traits in durum wheat whose relationship with adult root features and agronomic performance should be explored. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Durum Wheat Breeding and Genetics)
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14 pages, 1222 KiB  
Article
Genetic Advance of Durum Wheat Under High Yielding Conditions: The Case of Chile
by Alejandro del Pozo, Iván Matus, Kurt Ruf, Dalma Castillo, Ana María Méndez-Espinoza and María Dolores Serret
Agronomy 2019, 9(8), 454; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy9080454 - 15 Aug 2019
Cited by 20 | Viewed by 4228
Abstract
In Chile, durum wheat is cultivated in high-yielding Mediterranean environments, therefore breeding programs have selected cultivars with high yield potential in addition to grain quality. The genetic progress in grain yield (GY) between 1964 and 2010 was 72.8 kg ha−1 per year. [...] Read more.
In Chile, durum wheat is cultivated in high-yielding Mediterranean environments, therefore breeding programs have selected cultivars with high yield potential in addition to grain quality. The genetic progress in grain yield (GY) between 1964 and 2010 was 72.8 kg ha−1 per year. GY showed a positive and significant correlation with days to heading, kernels per unit ground area and thousand kernel weight. The gluten and protein content tended to decrease with the year of cultivar release. The correlation between the δ13C of kernels and GY was negative and significant (−0.62, p < 0.05, for all cultivars; and −0.97, p < 0.001, excluding the two oldest cultivars). The yield progress (genetic plus agronomic improvements) of a set of 40–46 advanced lines evaluated between 2006 and 2015 was 569 kg ha−1 per year. Unlike other Mediterranean agro-environments, a longer growing cycle together with taller plants seems to be related to the increase in the GY of Chilean durum wheat during recent decades. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Durum Wheat Breeding and Genetics)
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14 pages, 1783 KiB  
Article
Screening of Diverse Ethiopian Durum Wheat Accessions for Aluminum Tolerance
by Edossa Fikiru Wayima, Ayalew Ligaba-Osena, Kifle Dagne, Kassahun Tesfaye, Eunice Magoma Machuka, Samuel Kilonzo Mutiga and Emmanuel Delhaize
Agronomy 2019, 9(8), 440; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy9080440 - 09 Aug 2019
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 4385
Abstract
Acid soils and associated Al3+ toxicity are prevalent in Ethiopia where normally Al3+-sensitive durum wheat (Triticum turgidum ssp durum Desf.) is an important crop. To identify a source of Al3+ tolerance, we screened diverse Ethiopian durum germplasm. As [...] Read more.
Acid soils and associated Al3+ toxicity are prevalent in Ethiopia where normally Al3+-sensitive durum wheat (Triticum turgidum ssp durum Desf.) is an important crop. To identify a source of Al3+ tolerance, we screened diverse Ethiopian durum germplasm. As a center of diversity for durum wheat coupled with the strong selection pressure imposed by extensive acid soils, it was conceivable that Al3+ tolerance had evolved in Ethiopian germplasm. We used a rapid method on seedlings to rate Al3+ tolerance according to the length of seminal roots. From 595 accessions screened using the rapid method, we identified 21 tolerant, 180 intermediate, and 394 sensitive accessions. When assessed in the field the accessions had tolerance rankings consistent with the rapid screen. However, a molecular marker specific for the D-genome showed that all accessions rated as Al3+-tolerant or of intermediate tolerance were hexaploid wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) that had contaminated the durum grain stocks. The absence of Al3+ tolerance in durum has implications for how Al3+ tolerance evolved in bread wheat. There remains a need for a source of Al3+-tolerance genes for durum wheat and previous work that introgressed genes from bread wheat into durum wheat is discussed as a potential source for enhancing the Al3+ tolerance of durum germplasm. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Durum Wheat Breeding and Genetics)
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20 pages, 2537 KiB  
Article
Loci Controlling Adaptation to Heat Stress Occurring at the Reproductive Stage in Durum Wheat
by Khaoula El Hassouni, Bouchra Belkadi, Abdelkarim Filali-Maltouf, Amadou Tidiane-Sall, Ayed Al-Abdallat, Miloudi Nachit and Filippo M. Bassi
Agronomy 2019, 9(8), 414; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy9080414 - 30 Jul 2019
Cited by 32 | Viewed by 4628
Abstract
Heat stress occurring during the reproductive stage of wheat has a detrimental effect on productivity. A durum wheat core set was exposed to simulated terminal heat stress by applying plastic tunnels at the time of flowering over two seasons. Mean grain yield was [...] Read more.
Heat stress occurring during the reproductive stage of wheat has a detrimental effect on productivity. A durum wheat core set was exposed to simulated terminal heat stress by applying plastic tunnels at the time of flowering over two seasons. Mean grain yield was reduced by 54% compared to control conditions, and grain number was the most critical trait for tolerance to this stress. The combined use of tolerance indices and grain yield identified five top performing elite lines: Kunmiki, Berghouata1, Margherita2, IDON37-141, and Ourgh. The core set was also subjected to genome wide association study using 7652 polymorphic single nucleotide polymorphism (SNPs) markers. The most significant genomic regions were identified in association with spike fertility and tolerance indices on chromosomes 1A, 5B, and 6B. Haplotype analysis on a set of 208 elite lines confirmed that lines that carried the positive allele at all three quantitative trait loci (QTLs) had a yield advantage of 8% when field tested under daily temperatures above 31° C. Three of the QTLs were successfully validated into Kompetitive Allele Specific PCR (KASP) markers and explained >10% of the phenotypic variation for an independent elite germplasm set. These genomic regions can now be readily deployed via breeding to improve resilience to climate change and increase productivity in heat-stressed areas. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Durum Wheat Breeding and Genetics)
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20 pages, 1457 KiB  
Article
Durum Wheat (Triticum durum Desf.): Origin, Cultivation and Potential Expansion in Sub-Saharan Africa
by Amadou Tidiane Sall, Tiberio Chiari, Wasihun Legesse, Kemal Seid-Ahmed, Rodomiro Ortiz, Maarten van Ginkel and Filippo Maria Bassi
Agronomy 2019, 9(5), 263; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy9050263 - 24 May 2019
Cited by 82 | Viewed by 13228
Abstract
Durum wheat is an important food crop in the world and an endemic species of sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). In the highlands of Ethiopia and the oases of the Sahara this crop has been cultivated for thousands of years. Today, smallholder farmers still grow [...] Read more.
Durum wheat is an important food crop in the world and an endemic species of sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). In the highlands of Ethiopia and the oases of the Sahara this crop has been cultivated for thousands of years. Today, smallholder farmers still grow it on marginal lands to assure production for their own consumption. However, durum wheat is no longer just a staple crop for food security but has become a major cash crop. In fact, the pasta, burghul and couscous industry currently purchase durum grain at prices 10 to 20% higher than that of bread wheat. Africa as a whole imports over €4 billion per year of durum grain to provide the raw material for its food industry. Hence, African farmers could obtain a substantial share of this large market by turning their production to this crop. Here, the achievements of the durum breeding program of Ethiopia are revised to reveal a steep acceleration in variety release and adoption over the last decade. Furthermore, the variety release for Mauritania and Senegal is described to show how modern breeding methods could be used to deliver grain yields above 3 t ha−1 in seasons of just 92 days of length and in daytime temperatures always above 32 °C. This review describes the potential of releasing durum wheat varieties adapted to all growing conditions of SSA, from the oases of the Sahara to the highlands of Ethiopia. This indicates that the new breeding technologies offer great promise for expanding the area of durum wheat production in SSA but that this achievement remains primarily dependent on the market ability to purchase these grains at a higher price to stimulate farmer adoption. The critical importance of connecting all actors along the semolina value chain is presented in the example of Oromia, Ethiopia and that success story is then used to prompt a wider discussion on the potential of durum wheat as a crop for poverty reduction in Africa. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Durum Wheat Breeding and Genetics)
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Review

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27 pages, 351 KiB  
Review
Durum Wheat Breeding in the Mediterranean Region: Current Status and Future Prospects
by Ioannis N. Xynias, Ioannis Mylonas, Evangelos G. Korpetis, Elissavet Ninou, Aphrodite Tsaballa, Ilias D. Avdikos and Athanasios G. Mavromatis
Agronomy 2020, 10(3), 432; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy10030432 - 21 Mar 2020
Cited by 93 | Viewed by 8993
Abstract
This brief historical review focuses on durum wheat domestication and breeding in the Mediterranean region. Important milestones in durum wheat breeding programs across the countries of the Mediterranean basin before and after the Green Revolution are discussed. Additionally, the main achievements of the [...] Read more.
This brief historical review focuses on durum wheat domestication and breeding in the Mediterranean region. Important milestones in durum wheat breeding programs across the countries of the Mediterranean basin before and after the Green Revolution are discussed. Additionally, the main achievements of the classical breeding methodology are presented using a comparison of old and new cultivars. Furthermore, current breeding goals and challenges are analyzed. An overview of classical breeding methods in combination with current molecular techniques and tools for cultivar development is presented. Important issues of seed quality are outlined, focusing on protein and characteristics that affect human health and are connected with the consumption of wheat end-products. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Durum Wheat Breeding and Genetics)
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