Durum wheat heat tolerance loci defined via a north–south gradient

The global production of durum wheat (Triticum durum Desf.) is hindered by a constant rise in the frequency of severe heat stress events. To identify heat-tolerant germplasm, three different germplasm panels (“discovery,” “investigation,” and “validation”) were studied under a range of heat-stressed conditions. Grain yield (GY) and its components were recorded at each site and a heat stress susceptibility index was calculated, confirming that each 1°C temperature rise corresponds to a GY reduction in durum wheat of 4.6%–6.3%. A total of 2552 polymorphic single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) defined the diversity of the first panel, while 5642 SNPs were polymorphic in the “investigation panel.” The use of genome-wide association studies revealed that 36 quantitative trait loci were associated with the target traits in the discovery panel, of which five were confirmed in a “subset” tested imposing heat stress by plastic tunnels, and in the investigation panel. A study of allelic combinations confirmed that Q.icd.Heat.003-1A, Q.icd.Heat.007-1B, and Q.icd.Heat.016-3B are additive in nature and the positive alleles at all three loci resulted in a 16% higher GY under heat stress. The underlying SNPs were converted into kompetitive allele specific PCR markers and tested on the validation panel, confirming that each explained up to 9% of the phenotypic variation for GY under heat stress. These markers can now be used for breeding to improve resilience to climate change and increase productivity in heat-stressed areas.