Argentine Scientists Identify Key Genomic Regions to Boost Wheat Yields

A team of Argentine researchers has made a breakthrough that could help improve wheat yields through genetic breeding. Led by Fernanda González of CONICET at CIT NOBA and INTA Pergamino, the study identified two regions of the wheat genome linked to ear fertility — traits that play a crucial role in yield potential. The results were published in Field Crops Research.

Through extensive field trials, the team confirmed the presence of two Quantitative Trait Loci (QTLs), named QFFE.perg-5A and QFEm.perg-3A, which influence wheat reproductive efficiency. QTLs are stretches of DNA containing genes that correlate with measurable traits such as plant height or grain production. In this case, the QTLs are associated with increased grain number and improved ear fertility.

“Wheat is a staple food for millions of people around the world. Argentina produces an average of around 19 million tons annually, of which between six and seven million are consumed domestically, while the rest is exported. “Advancing basic and technological knowledge that allows us to increase crop yields more efficiently and sustainably could, first, improve national production and exportable balances, and second, contribute to global food security,” notes Gonzalez, who is also a researcher at INTA Pergamino, according to a press release.

While the QTLs were previously identified at the single-plant level, this new study tested their effects under real-world field conditions. This approach better simulates farm environments, accounting for variables like plant competition and environmental stresses.

“Under these conditions, we observed that the QTL QFFE.perg-5A affected yield in all the environments studied, while the effect of the QTL QFEm.perg-3A was dependent on the environment,” notes Nicole Pretini, a researcher at INTA Pergamino and first author of the study. Regarding the QTL QFFE.perg-5A, it was determined that when it had the favorable allele, the number of grains per m2 and wheat yield improved by 8 percent and 5 percent. “Furthermore, we were able to establish that this improvement was a consequence not only of greater reproductive efficiency of the ears but also of the establishment of more ears per m2,” says Pretini.

In the short term, these findings can be applied by breeding companies to select higher-yielding wheat lines. “The identified QTLs could be used to select lines during the breeding process, with the goal of obtaining wheat varieties with higher yields,” explains Leonardo Vanzetti, a researcher at INTA Marcos Juárez (Córdoba) and another of the study’s authors.

Looking ahead, these regions could lead researchers to the specific genes driving yield improvements — paving the way for technologies like gene editing. González noted that the team is actively working on identifying the candidate genes, with support from doctoral fellow Giuliana Ferrari.

The study could also have implications beyond wheat.

“What we found in wheat may provide clues for investigating similar mechanisms in crops such as barley, rice, or corn. In fact, within the region of the genome we identified, we are finding candidate genes whose functions have already been described in other crops, which reinforces the idea that these are conserved mechanisms. This opens the door to comparative studies and more integrated breeding strategies across species,” Pretini notes.

This research builds on over 15 years of work by González’s team, which first flagged ear reproductive efficiency as a promising trait for improving wheat yield in Argentine varieties. “Currently, several companies in the breeding sector have contacted us to begin using the results of our work, selecting lines that possess the favorable QTLs for yield that we have identified. This data is public and free to use by all companies,” the researcher concludes.

Tags: grain, Production, wheat, yields, crop, Argentina, genome