AUTHOR=Guwela Veronica F. , Maliro Moses F. , Broadley Martin R. , Hawkesford Malcolm J. , Bokosi James M. , Grewal Surbhi , Coombes Benedict , Hall Anthony , Yang Caiyun , Banda Mike , Wilson Lolita , King Julie 

TITLE=The 4T and 7T introgressions from Amblyopyrum muticum and the 5Au introgression from Triticum urartu increases grain zinc and iron concentrations in Malawian wheat backgrounds

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Plant Science

VOLUME=15

YEAR=2024

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/plant-science/articles/10.3389/fpls.2024.1346046

DOI=10.3389/fpls.2024.1346046

ISSN=1664-462X

ABSTRACT=<p>Micronutrient deficiencies (MNDs) particularly zinc (Zn) and iron (Fe) remain widespread in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) due to low dietary intake. Wheat is an important source of energy globally, although cultivated wheat is inherently low in grain micronutrient concentrations. Malawian wheat/<italic>Am. muticum</italic> and Malawian wheat/<italic>T. urartu</italic> BC<sub>1</sub>F<sub>3</sub> introgression lines, developed by crossing three Malawian wheat varieties (<italic>Kenya nyati</italic>, <italic>Nduna</italic> and <italic>Kadzibonga</italic>) with DH-348 (wheat/<italic>Am. muticum</italic>) and DH-254 (wheat/<italic>T. urartu</italic>), were phenotyped for grain Zn and Fe, and associated agronomic traits in Zn-deficient soils, in Malawi. 98% (47) of the BC<sub>1</sub>F<sub>3</sub> introgression lines showed higher Zn above the checks Paragon, Chinese Spring, <italic>Kadzibonga</italic>, <italic>Kenya Nyati</italic> and <italic>Nduna</italic>. 23% (11) of the introgression lines showed a combination of high yields and an increase in grain Zn by 16-30 mg kg <sup>-1</sup> above <italic>Nduna</italic> and <italic>Kadzibonga</italic>, and 11-25 mg kg <sup>-1</sup> above <italic>Kenya nyati</italic>, Paragon and Chinese Spring. Among the 23%, 64% (7) also showed 8-12 mg kg <sup>-1</sup> improvement in grain Fe compared to <italic>Nduna</italic> and <italic>Kenya nyati</italic>. Grain Zn concentrations showed a significant positive correlation with grain Fe, whilst grain Zn and Fe negatively and significantly correlated with TKW and grain yield. This work will contribute to the efforts of increasing mineral nutrient density in wheat, specifically targeting countries in the SSA.</p>