Fine mapping of hybrid necrosis gene Ne1 in common wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

Key message Hybrid necrosis gene Ne1 was delimited into an approximate 4.06 Mb region on chromosome arm 5BL and an InDel marker that co-segregated with Ne1 alleles was developed. Hybrid necrosis in wheat, characterized by progressive chlorosis and necrosis of plant leaves, tillers or whole plants in certain hybrids, is caused by complementary genes Ne1 and Ne2 located on chromosome arms 5BL and 2BS, respectively. Hybrid necrosis can be a barrier in combining desirable traits from various wheat genotypes. In this study, we fine mapped Ne1 on chromosome arm 5BL, and delimited it to a 4.06 Mb region using large segregating recombinant inbred line families from cross 'Zhengnong 17' x 'Yangbaimai'. Genetic characterization confirmed that the ne1 allele was closely associated with a 2.89 Mb deletion in Zhengnong 17. A tightly linked InDel marker, 5B-InDel385, for Ne1 was developed and was used to predict the presence of Ne1 in a diverse panel of 501 common wheat accessions. Among those accessions, 122 (61%) of 200 landraces were predicted to carry the Ne1 allele, whereas only 79 (26%) of 301 modern cultivars were predicted to carry Ne1. The significant decrease in Ne1 frequency in modern cultivars indicated that the Ne1 allele had been negatively selected in wheat breeding. This study provides a foundation for marker-assisted selection, gene cloning and functional studies of Ne1 in wheat.