Page 189 - Plant Canada 2024 Proceeding

PLANT CANADA 2024

had been visually assigned to seven different species groups: S. angustifolium and S. fallax (section
Cuspidata), S. flavicomans, S. fuscum and S. rubellum (section Acutifolia), and S. magellanicum (sensu
lato) and S. papillosum (section Sphagnum). We conducted structure and phylogenetic analyses to clarify
the identities of these individuals and used intra- and inter-specific variability to assess differences
between natural and restored peatlands. Individuals within the S. magellanicum complex were easily
classified as S. diabolicum, S. divinum or S. medium. Additionally, 55% of individuals visually identified as
S. fuscum were found to be genetically distinct, and demonstrated to belong to S. beothuk, previously
unreported in Atlantic Canada (outside of Newfoundland). Population analyses showed no significant
differences between natural and restored peatlands, which is promising for future restoration efforts. The
tools presented in this study offer a cost-effective method for multispecies genetic diversity assessments
in peatland-inhabiting Sphagnum and provide a solid foundation for further improvements and
adaptations.

*[O168] GENOME-WIDE ASSOCIATION ANALYSIS OF LODGING-RELATED CULM TRAITS IN
1
DIVERSE SPRING WHEAT (TRITICUM AESTIVUM L.) POPULATION. Ginelle Grenier , Muhammad
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1 1
2
Iqbal , Curt McCartney , Gavin D. Humphreys , Dean Spaner , and Belay T. Ayele . Department of Plant
Science, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada; Department of Agricultural, Food and
2
Nutritional Sciences, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada; and Ottawa Research and Development Center,
3
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Correspondence to: grenie19@myumanitoba.ca

Lodging is a common constraint to spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) production as it lowers harvest
efficiency and causes significant yield and end-use quality losses. It is a quantitative trait regulated by
many genes and environmental factors including agronomic practices. The traditional approach of
reducing lodging risks in wheat through introducing semi-dwarfing genes may limit the yield potential of
modern cultivars, prompting the need to identify alternate genetic components that can improve lodging
resistance. To this end, this study conducted a genome-wide association study (GWAS) in multiple
environments using a diverse mapping panel. The mapping panel was phenotyped for various lodging-
related culm traits at Feekes growth stage 11.1 including the breaking strength (N), bending moment (g
-1
cm), and lodging index (g cm N ) of the second basal internode. The same panel was genotyped using
the 90K iSelect BeadChip Array, and a set of 18611 resultant single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP)
markers were used for GWAS analysis to determine their association with lodging-related traits examined.
Our analysis identified a total of 61 SNP markers and 23 putative QTL regions displaying significant
associations with the internode breaking strength, bending moment, and lodging index traits across all
trial environments. Furthermore, we identified a QTL on chromosome 1B that is associated with both
internode bending moment and lodging index, and another QTL on chromosome 2A that is consistently
associated with internode breaking strength in all individual trial environments. The results of this study
may have potential use in marker-assisted selection for lodging resistance in spring wheat.

[O169] PAN-GENOME AND LONG-READ STRUCTURAL VARIANT LANDSCAPE OF 51 BRASSICA
NAPUS GENOMES UNVEIL CANOLA'S HIDDEN GENETIC DIVERSITY FOR CROP IMPROVEMENT.
Sampath Perumal , Kevin Koh , Raju Chaudhary , Peng Gao , Isobel Parkin , and Andrew Sharpe .
1
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2
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1 Global Institute for Food Security, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada 2Agriculture and
Agri-Food Canada, Saskatoon, SK, Canada
Correspondence to: sampath.perumal@usask.ca

Background:
Canola (Brassica napus), also known as rapeseed, is a globally important crop widely cultivated for its oil
and protein-rich seeds, with applications in the food, biofuel, and animal feed industries. However, its
genetic improvement is challenging due to its narrow genetic base.To overcome the challenges in
improving canola genetics, constructing a comprehensive pan-genome that captures the genetic diversity
of the entire population is essential. The pan-genome is a collection of all genes and genetic variations
including structural variations (SVs) present in a species, including rare and novel variations that are not
captured in traditional reference genomes.
Nanopore sequencing technology was used to sequence 50 canola spring type parents. Long-read
assembly was developed for the 50 NAM parents and a pan-genome was constructed. Structural variants

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