Alien Genetic Loci Influence Mineral Content in Grain of Synthetic Wheat Line

Synthetic introgression lines of hexaploid wheat (T. aestivum L.) are an important source of genetic loci for improving the mineral composition of bread wheat grain. Hybrid line 1102, obtained as a result of a complex hybridization scheme involving the species Aegilops speltoides, Aegilops tauschii, and Secale cereale, was used to map loci associated with the content of ten macro- and microelements and heavy metals in grain—Ca, Mg, K, Cu, Fe, Zn, Mn, Cd, Cr, and Pb. Evaluation of parental samples used to create the mapping population (bread wheat variety Lutescens 85 and line 1102) in greenhouse and field conditions showed a reliable increase in the content of microelements Cu, Mn, Zn, and Fe in the grain of line 1102 by 1.45, 1.44, 1.65 and 1.83 times, respectively, compared with varieties Lutescens 85. As a result of genotyping of the F2–3 population with SNP markers, 11 genetic loci were localized on chromosomes 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B, 4B, 5A, and 6A, significantly associated with the content of Ca, Mg, Zn, Fe, Pb, and Cr in the grain. Comparison of SNP marker amplification patterns in parental samples suggests that loci QZn.1102-icg-2A, QCa.1102-icg-3A, QCr.1102-icg-3B, and QCr.1102-icg-4B may be of alien origin. The results obtained indicate that the synthetic line 1102 may contain genetic loci that promote the accumulation of toxic metals in grain such as lead and chromium.