P.M. Williamson and R.G. Rees.
Black point occurred in many parts of Queensland
and southern Australia in 1995. Field and glasshouse tests to
screen Australian bread wheat varieties for resistance to black
point were conducted. Initial results suggest a continuum of resistance/susceptibility
among the cultivars tested, with some currently grown cultivars
showing a high level of susceptibility.
Glasshouse and laboratory experiments also were conducted
to determine the basic biology of the disease, and in particular,
the role of saprophytic fungi in the development of black point
symptoms.
Resistance to Pyrenophora tritici-repentis.
R.G. Rees, P.S. Brennan, P.M. Banks, K.C.M. Blaikie, and G.J. Platz.
Continued drought conditions during 1995 ensured
that the wheat crops were generally poor and yellow spot (tan
spot) was not a problem. As in recent years, the results were
limited carryover of infested wheat residues and limited inoculum
of P. tritici-repentis for crops in 1996.
A backcrossing program to develop adapted wheats
resistant to yellow spot continued. A line from the cross `CNT2/4*Hartog'
was named Leichhardt, and seed should be available commercially
in 1997. Leichhardt is very similar to the recurrent parent Hartog,
but because the dough extensibility is marginally less than Hartog's,
it was given the quality classification of Australian Hard.
G.B. Wildermuth, R.B. McNamara, and T.M. Sparks.
Both crown rot (caused by Fusarium graminearum)
and common root rot (caused by Bipolaris sorokininana)
occurred throughout the southern grain-growing area of Queensland.
Losses from crown rot were high in some areas. Crown rot also
caused high losses in northern New South Wales and in South Australia.
Irrigation again was needed for a field experiment
testing the susceptibility of advanced breeding lines from Queensland
Wheat Research Institute and University of Sydney breeding programs.
Five standards and 20 lines were assessed. Two of these lines
were highly susceptible, five partially resistant, and the remainder
susceptible to the disease. `Sunbrook', a recently
released variety from University of Sydney, had the same level
of partial resistance as the variety Pelsart. In the same experiment,
varieties/lines C0840186, Duke, Chisolm, Vona, Centurk, and Sandy,
from Colorado, USA, were tested for susceptibility to crown rot.
All except Chisolm, showed partial resistance comparable with
the Queensland variety Pelsart.
Production of doubled haploids.
S.J. Kammholz, M.L. Fiske, and I.C. Haak.
Doubled haploids have been produced at QWRI for the
past 4 years. We currently are using the `wheat x maize'
system exclusively to produce populations for both conventional
breeding purposes and associated genetic studies. We hope that
funding will become available in the coming year to allow the
development of several populations to complement those already
available. These new populations will be used to locate markers
for wheat quality attributes and resistance to crown rot, common
root rot, and root-lesion nematode.
UNIVERSITY OF QUEENSLAND
Brisbane, Qld 4072, Australia.
Germplasm enhancement program for high yield and protein in the northern region.
M. Cooper, M.A. Fabrizius, and P.S. Brennan.
A population improvement scheme was begun as a cooperative
effort between The University of Queensland, the Queensland Wheat
Research Institute, and the University of Sydney's Plant
Breeding Institute at Narrabri, New South Wales. The mandate of
this program is to provide high-protein, high-yield parents for
the breeding programs of the Northern Region. A recurrent selection
scheme was designed in 1995, and initial crosses were made. A
4-year cycle will be followed that includes 2 years of field trials
at five locations in Queensland and New South Wales. The selection
unit will be a bulked S1 family. Random intermating will be facilitated
by gametocide. Approximately 800 S1 families will be tested in
the first year and 400 in the second year.
The association between T1BL-1RS and grain yield in Queensland environments.
A.S. Peake and M. Cooper.
An experiment is underway to examine the relationship
between the T1BL-1RS of `Veery' lines and high
grain yield. In 1995, 500 recombinant inbred lines (RIL) were
evaluated at four locations chosen to represent the major wheat
growing regions of southern and central Queensland. These lines
were derived from three crosses each segregating for the translocation.
Each of the RILs is being characterized for the presence or absence
of the T1BL-1RS using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay
for proteins characteristic of the translocation and nontranslocation
lines. In 1996, the populations will be tested at the same four
locations and an additional site in northern New South Wales.
Development of optimum strategies for multi-environment testing in the northern region.
I. DeLacy and J. Sheppard.
This project is aimed at optimizing the yield testing
strategies of the breeding programs in the region. The project,
funded for 5 years, is composed of four parts.
Part A is a retrospective analysis of the historical
grain yield data obtained from early generation and advanced line
trials conducted by the breeding organizations from 1974 to the
present. An `Access' database containing relevant
information on the elite lines tested over the period was established,
and preliminary sequential analysis has begun. Part B is aimed
at identifying any regional differences in performance between
entries. A set of 17 lines was planted at six locations for 2
years. A number of trials were weather damaged in 1995 following
another dry growing period. Part C is the collection of weather
and phenological data from the growing sites from Part B. This
data collection was achieved at the majority of sites. Part D
is an economic evaluation of the series and is progressing in
line with the field sowings.
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN QUEENSLAND
Faculty of Sciences - Biology Department, Toowoomba Qld
4350, Australia.
Locating protein markers for wheat quality attributes.
R. Ramage and M. Sutherland.
A project attempting to locate protein markers for
several wheat quality characters is well underway at USQ Biology
Department. If successful markers are identified, they will be
integrated into the selection procedures of routine wheat breeding
programs.
An optimized one-dimensional SDS-PAGE technique,
separating reduced whole-protein extracts in 5-15
% gradient gels, is used to identify protein polymorphisms between
doubled haploid lines (Stephen Kammholz, QWRI). These DH lines
also are being screened to determine their high and low molecular
weight glutenin subunit profile. Quality data (flour yield and
color, dough strength, extensibility, and dough development time)
will be generated in 1997 and potential correlations between protein
profiles and desirable quality attributes then will be ascertained.
Molecular markers for wheat extensibility.
W. Ma and G. Daggard.
High extensibility is one of the major quality parameters
desired in wheat. A study has just begun at the USQ Biology Department
attempting to locate molecular markers for wheat extensibility.
The project will use a doubled haploid population derived from
the cross `W21MMT70/Mendos' to identify RAPD markers.
A suitable RAPD protocol currently is being developed. Quality
data will be available in 1997, which should allow an appropriate
molecular map to be created.