Enhancing wheat β-glucan content through precision crossbreeding: development and evaluation of biofortified lines with improved nutritional and agronomic traits

Introduction: To address the urgent demand for biofortified wheat enriched with health-beneficial dietary fibres such as β-glucan, this study employed meticulous crossbreeding between established wheat cultivars and the β-glucan-rich wild relative Aegilops kotschyi accession “AK-3790”. Methods: With...

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Main Authors: Upendra Kumar, Sourav Panigrahi, Rita Goswami, Yogita Singh, Priyanka Balyan, Prexha Kapoor, Sundip Kumar, Krishna Pal Singh, Farkhandah Jan, Reyazul Rouf Mir
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-03-01
Series:Frontiers in Genetics
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Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fgene.2025.1532956/full
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author Upendra Kumar
Upendra Kumar
Sourav Panigrahi
Rita Goswami
Yogita Singh
Priyanka Balyan
Prexha Kapoor
Sundip Kumar
Krishna Pal Singh
Krishna Pal Singh
Farkhandah Jan
Reyazul Rouf Mir
author_facet Upendra Kumar
Upendra Kumar
Sourav Panigrahi
Rita Goswami
Yogita Singh
Priyanka Balyan
Prexha Kapoor
Sundip Kumar
Krishna Pal Singh
Krishna Pal Singh
Farkhandah Jan
Reyazul Rouf Mir
author_sort Upendra Kumar
collection DOAJ
description Introduction: To address the urgent demand for biofortified wheat enriched with health-beneficial dietary fibres such as β-glucan, this study employed meticulous crossbreeding between established wheat cultivars and the β-glucan-rich wild relative Aegilops kotschyi accession “AK-3790”. Methods: Within this context, a derivative line encompassing a pair of 7U chromosomes from Ae. Kotschyi, denoted as 63-2-13, was identified. The presence of the 7U chromosome in this line was confirmed through comprehensive molecular marker and genomic in situ hybridization (GISH) analyses. With the aim of increasing the β-glucan content in hexaploid wheat, two distinct backcross populations were developed utilizing the 63-2-13 line as the donor parent and two separate recurrent parents (WH1105 and HD3086). These populations underwent an exact selection regimen, encompassing parent-like phenotypes, heightened yield, and robust resistance to yellow rust, meticulously tracked across successive generations until the BC2F2:3 stage. Results and Discussion: Notably, among the outcomes, selected BC2F2:3 progenies presented remarkable increases in β-glucan levels, with a notable increase (BC2F2:3 23-5) resulting in an impressive increase in the 1.76% grain β-glucan content. Despite a discernible reduction in yield compared with their high-yielding counterparts, BC2F2:3 23-5 demonstrated a harmonious trait profile, encompassing heightened β-glucan content and moderate yellow rust resistance, thus positioning it as a compelling candidate for subsequent refinement endeavors. This research notably underscores the substantial potential of precise introgression strategies for increasing the β-glucan content in wheat, thereby underscoring the imperative of adept trait optimization to ensure both yield stability and nutritional enhancement.
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spelling doaj-art-9cd5e131c7b64dafb4420f219f7d38b52025-08-20T02:50:29ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Genetics1664-80212025-03-011610.3389/fgene.2025.15329561532956Enhancing wheat β-glucan content through precision crossbreeding: development and evaluation of biofortified lines with improved nutritional and agronomic traitsUpendra Kumar0Upendra Kumar1Sourav Panigrahi2Rita Goswami3Yogita Singh4Priyanka Balyan5Prexha Kapoor6Sundip Kumar7Krishna Pal Singh8Krishna Pal Singh9Farkhandah Jan10Reyazul Rouf Mir11Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, College of Biotechnology, CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar, IndiaDepartment of Plant Science, Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Rohilkhand University, Bareilly, IndiaDepartment of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, College of Biotechnology, CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar, IndiaDepartment of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, College of Biotechnology, CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar, IndiaDepartment of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, College of Biotechnology, CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar, IndiaDepartment of Botany, Deva Nagri P.G. College, CCS University Meerut, Meerut, IndiaDepartment of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, College of Biotechnology, CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar, IndiaMolecular Cytogenetics Laboratory, Department of Molecular Biology and Genetic Engineering, College of Basic Sciences and Humanities, GB Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar, IndiaBiophysics Unit, College of Basic Sciences and Humanities, GB Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar, IndiaVice-Chancellor’s Secretariat, Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Rohilkhand University, Bareilly, IndiaDivision of Genetics and Plant Breeding, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir (SKUAST-Kashmir), Srinagar, IndiaDivision of Genetics and Plant Breeding, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir (SKUAST-Kashmir), Srinagar, IndiaIntroduction: To address the urgent demand for biofortified wheat enriched with health-beneficial dietary fibres such as β-glucan, this study employed meticulous crossbreeding between established wheat cultivars and the β-glucan-rich wild relative Aegilops kotschyi accession “AK-3790”. Methods: Within this context, a derivative line encompassing a pair of 7U chromosomes from Ae. Kotschyi, denoted as 63-2-13, was identified. The presence of the 7U chromosome in this line was confirmed through comprehensive molecular marker and genomic in situ hybridization (GISH) analyses. With the aim of increasing the β-glucan content in hexaploid wheat, two distinct backcross populations were developed utilizing the 63-2-13 line as the donor parent and two separate recurrent parents (WH1105 and HD3086). These populations underwent an exact selection regimen, encompassing parent-like phenotypes, heightened yield, and robust resistance to yellow rust, meticulously tracked across successive generations until the BC2F2:3 stage. Results and Discussion: Notably, among the outcomes, selected BC2F2:3 progenies presented remarkable increases in β-glucan levels, with a notable increase (BC2F2:3 23-5) resulting in an impressive increase in the 1.76% grain β-glucan content. Despite a discernible reduction in yield compared with their high-yielding counterparts, BC2F2:3 23-5 demonstrated a harmonious trait profile, encompassing heightened β-glucan content and moderate yellow rust resistance, thus positioning it as a compelling candidate for subsequent refinement endeavors. This research notably underscores the substantial potential of precise introgression strategies for increasing the β-glucan content in wheat, thereby underscoring the imperative of adept trait optimization to ensure both yield stability and nutritional enhancement.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fgene.2025.1532956/fullβ-glucanintrogressionAegilops kotschyiin situ hybridizationSSRbackcross
spellingShingle Upendra Kumar
Upendra Kumar
Sourav Panigrahi
Rita Goswami
Yogita Singh
Priyanka Balyan
Prexha Kapoor
Sundip Kumar
Krishna Pal Singh
Krishna Pal Singh
Farkhandah Jan
Reyazul Rouf Mir
Enhancing wheat β-glucan content through precision crossbreeding: development and evaluation of biofortified lines with improved nutritional and agronomic traits
Frontiers in Genetics
β-glucan
introgression
Aegilops kotschyi
in situ hybridization
SSR
backcross
title Enhancing wheat β-glucan content through precision crossbreeding: development and evaluation of biofortified lines with improved nutritional and agronomic traits
title_full Enhancing wheat β-glucan content through precision crossbreeding: development and evaluation of biofortified lines with improved nutritional and agronomic traits
title_fullStr Enhancing wheat β-glucan content through precision crossbreeding: development and evaluation of biofortified lines with improved nutritional and agronomic traits
title_full_unstemmed Enhancing wheat β-glucan content through precision crossbreeding: development and evaluation of biofortified lines with improved nutritional and agronomic traits
title_short Enhancing wheat β-glucan content through precision crossbreeding: development and evaluation of biofortified lines with improved nutritional and agronomic traits
title_sort enhancing wheat β glucan content through precision crossbreeding development and evaluation of biofortified lines with improved nutritional and agronomic traits
topic β-glucan
introgression
Aegilops kotschyi
in situ hybridization
SSR
backcross
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fgene.2025.1532956/full
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