Estimation of genetic parameters of a DH wheat population grown at different N stress levels characterized by probe genotypes

Low market prices and environmental concerns in Europe favor lower input wheat production systems. To efficiently breed for new varieties adapted to low input management while maintaining high yield levels, our objective was to characterize the heritability and its components for yield and nitrogen traits under different nitrogen levels. Two hundred and twenty-two doubled-haploid (DH) lines from the cross between Arche (tolerant) and Récital (sensitive) were tested in France at four locations in 2000, and three in 2001, under high (N⁺) and low (N-) nitrogen supplies. The response of yield to the environment of four probe genotypes, the parents and two controls, were tested and used as descriptors of these environments. Grain yield (GY), its components, and grain and straw nitrogen, called nitrogen traits, were studied. A factorial regression was performed to assess the sensitivity (slope) of the DH lines to nitrogen stress and their performance to low nitrogen supply. An index based on the nitrogen nutrition index at flowering of the probe genotype Récital was the best descriptor of the environment stress. Heritabilities of yield and nitrogen traits for both nitrogen supplies were always above 0.6. When nitrogen stress increased, heritabilities decreased and genotype x nitrogen interaction variances increased. The decrease in heritability was mainly explained by a decrease in genetic variance. Genetic variation for sensitivity to nitrogen stress and performance under low nitrogen supply were shown in the population. GY decreased from 278 to 760 g/m² per unit of nitrogen stress index increase and GY under moderate nitrogen stress varied from 340 to 613 g/m². Those contrasted reactions revealed specific lines to include in breeding programs for improving GY under low nitrogen supply.