Mapping of agronomical, phenological and yield traits under early planting in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

Knowledge gap:

• Genetics of early heat tolerance is not available, even the genetic basis of heat adaptation is poorly understood and no heat tolerance genes have been cloned. (Cossani & Reynolds, 2012).
• Although there is genetic mapping or molecular marker analysis for some genes related to early establishment but detailed study on early heat tolerance is lacking.
• Genetic diversity in large number of lines have not been studied for adaptation to early heat stress tolerance.
• Comparative study of yield advantage or loss due to early planting with normal planting.
• Estimation of yield gain per day or per unit solar radiation due to longer duration at vegetative phase has not been studied in detail.
• Crop modeling for combination of Vrn, Ppd, Eps and Rht genes is still lacking particularly for South Asian region.

Following is the research topic:

Identification of early heat tolerant wheat lines using agro-morphological traits and mapping of genes or QTLs for early heat tolerant adaptive traits

Work expectations

1. Identification of  agro-morphological traits adapted for the early planting
2. Identifying genes for the adaptation to early planting
3. Assessment the effect of  Vrn, Ppd, Eps or even Rht genes on the traits of interest for early establishment
4. Effect of rusts disease on early planting wheat.

Required skills

Knowledge of wheat crop management and moleculars