Expediting the delivery to industry of a novel method of eliminating LMA (OD224186)

Falling Number (FN) is used as the international standard for determining pre-harvest sprouting (PHS) in wheat grain, however the trait of Late Maturity alpha-Amylase (LMA) also causes low falling number. LMA is currently not prevalent in Australian milling wheats due to WQA classification standards. However, due to the difficulty in selecting for LMA resistant wheats, this process results in breeders discarding a large proportion of genetic diversity that could be used to improve the rate of genetic gain for yield and other traits. Recent investment by GRDC and CSIRO has identified genetic deletions of key genes in the LMA pathway, providing an easy way that breeders could protect against LMA in their programs. This project will undertake validation of these mutants and ensure the trait is combined with appropriate agronomic performance and grain quality to expedite the use of the invention by breeders.

降落数值（Falling Number, FN）是测定小麦籽粒收获前穗发芽（pre-harvest sprouting, PHS）的国际标准指标，但晚熟α-淀粉酶（Late Maturity alpha-Amylase, LMA）性状同样会导致降落数值偏低。当前受WQA分级标准制约，澳大利亚制粉小麦中鲜有携带晚熟α-淀粉酶性状的品种。然而由于选育抗晚熟α-淀粉酶小麦的难度较高，育种家往往会丢弃大量具备遗传多样性的材料，而这类材料本可用于提升产量及其他性状的遗传增益速率。近年来，澳大利亚谷物研发公司（GRDC）与澳大利亚联邦科学与工业研究组织（CSIRO）的相关投资项目已成功鉴定出晚熟α-淀粉酶通路中关键基因的遗传缺失变异，为育种家在育种项目中规避晚熟α-淀粉酶性状提供了简便可行的方案。本项目将对上述基因缺失突变体开展验证工作，并确保该性状与适宜的农艺表现及籽粒品质相结合，以加快育种家对该项技术成果的应用推广。