Data from: Validation of grain yield QTL from soft winter wheat using a CIMMYT spring wheat panel

Validation of quantitative trait loci (QTL) is an essential step in marker-assisted breeding. The objectives of this study were to validate grain yield (GY) QTL previously identified in soft red winter wheat (SRWW) through biparental and association mapping using the spring wheat association mapping initiative (WAMI) panel from International Wheat and Maize Improvement Center (CIMMYT), Mexico and to identify allele combinations of the validated QTL that resulted to the highest GY. Linked SNP for IWA3560 (3A), IWA1818 (4B), and IWA755 (6B) were significantly associated (P < 0.001) with GY, grain number, and thousand grain weight in the WAMI. Lines possessing the favorable allele for the QTL at the 3A, 4B, and 6B loci (A-C-G allele combination) validated on the WAMI had the highest mean GY at 4.55 t ha-1, but three other haplotypes (A-C-A, G-C-A, and G-C-G) differing by one or two allele in the validated QTL regions were not significantly different. These results validate GY QTL across winter and spring wheat through genome-wide association analysis and further demonstrate the potential for pyramiding favorable alleles for the genetic improvement of wheat breeding populations.