Characterization and distribution of novel alleles of the vernalization gene Vrn-A1 in Chinese wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivars.

The ability of wheat to adapt to a wide range of environmental conditions is determined mostly by allelic diversity among genes regulating vernalization requirement. Vrn-1 is a major regulator of this requirement. In this study, two novel alleles of Vrn-A1 were discovered in Chinese cultivars: vrn-A1n was identified in two landraces, Jiunong 2 and Ganchun 16, and Vrn-A1o was detected in Duanhongmangmai. Both novel alleles showed a linked duplication in the promoter region. The common copy of these two alleles was identical to the recessive allele vrn-A1. Compared with the recessive allele vrn-A1, the other copy of vrn-A1n contained a 54-bp deletion in the promoter region and the distinct copy of Vrn-A1o contained an 11-bp deletion in the promoter region. In segregating populations in the greenhouse under nonvernalizing (20–25° C) and long-day (16 h light) conditions, plants with the novel vrn-A1n allele did not head earlier than those with the recessive vrn-A1 allele. However, plants that were either homozygous or heterozygous for the novel Vrn-A1o allele headed earlier than those with the recessive vrn-A1 allele. To identify the novel allele with the small-sized product and facilitate screening, a DNA marker for the novel dominant allele Vrn-A1o was designed. Analysis of the novel-allele distribution showed that two cultivars carrying the vrn-A1n allele were dispersed in the northwestern spring wheat zone, and 12 cultivars carrying the dominant Vrn-A1o allele were widely distributed in the northwestern spring wheat zone, Xinjiang winter and spring wheat zone, Yellow and Huai River valley winter wheat zone, and QinghaiTibetan Plateau spring and winter wheat zone. Our study identifies useful germplasm and a DNA marker for wheat breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]