Page 61 - Plant Canada 2024 Proceeding

PLANT CANADA 2024

Tuesday, July 9

Dr. Matthew Reynolds
CIMMYT

“Crop Physiology, genomics and cropping systems”

Abstract: Spring wheat breeding at CIMMYT continues
to underpin food security in the Global South, especially
by avoiding disease epidemics while increasing profit
margins through steady genetic gains ~1%p.a. Modern
tools like genomic selection combined with speed
breeding function best with restricted gene-pools.
However, analysis of historical international nursery big-
data sets show a significant trend for reduced wide-
adaptation under warmer temperatures. This has two
major implications: 1) Centralized breeding with restricted gene-pools, while highly cost-
effective for relatively-simply inherited strategic traits (having global or regional impact),
will boost yields at fewer sites due to restricted genetic backgrounds of advanced lines;
2) Breeding will require access to wider genetic diversity to cater for a more diverse set
of target environments. This will require refining genetically complex-trait expression. To
achieve this, the IWYP-HeDWIC translational research Hub at CIMMYT, identifies novel
genetic variation for key performance traits, including from exotic material, like
amphiploids encompassing entire genomes of wild relatives. (The latter have evolved
through millions of years of environmental flux while our crops were isolated from those
gene-pools upon domestication.) The Hubs test combinations of promising traits and
alleles through crossing and evaluating best progeny internationally as physiological
pre-breeding (PPB) nurseries. While on average PPB lines track yield gains of elite
breeding lines globally, at the site and cluster level, specific PPB lines express
outstanding yield over checks. This suggests that wide genetic variation within PPB
nurseries may be providing a range of favorable trait/allele combinations that will help
adapt to new and generally harsher environmental norms.

Bio: Matthew Reynolds (m.reynolds@cgiar.org) leads Wheat Physiology at CIMMYT,
developing breeding technologies for climate resilience and yield improvement. He has fostered
global collaborations to tap expertise and emerging technologies in basic plant sciences for
translation to breeding. Networks initiated include the International Wheat Yield
Partnership https://iwyp.org/, and the Heat and Drought Wheat Improvement
Consortium https://hedwic.org/- , whose products provide breeders globally with unique pre-
breeding material with new combinations of complex physiological traits and their haplotypes.
He has published widely in crop physiology, genomics and pre-breeding and since 2018 is listed
among top 1% of world’s researchers in plant & animal science (Web of Science). He was
recently invited to compile as wheat textbook as editor, which was published open access in
2022 https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-030-90673-3. He co-supervises PhD
thesis projects through his links with universities worldwide and has developed physiological
manuals for use by national programs which have been translated into several languages.

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