Selection for erect canopy architecture can increase yield and biomass of spring wheat

In wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) canopy architecture influences light penetration into the canopy and radiation use efficiency particularly during the period between stem elongation and anthesis which is the critical time for the determination of yield. Despite large differences in canopy architecture among spring wheat genotypes, ranging from erectophile to planophile upper leaves, there is little prior evidence to suggest that selection for canopy architecture influences yield. In this study we evaluated the variation for canopy architecture in a 4-way MAGIC population (n= similar to 1000 lines) developed from 4 Australian commercial spring wheats and an 8-way MAGIC population (n = similar to 300 lines) developed from 3 Australian and 5 northern hemisphere commercial wheats. The 4-way population was grown at both an irrigated and a dryland site in southern New South Wales whereas the 8-way population was grown at the irrigated site. We also measured grain yield, plant height and crop development stage at the irrigated site. Using a smaller subset of lines which we grouped into either erectophile or planophile we studied how canopy architecture influences grain yield and associated yield traits (above-ground biomass (AGBM), harvest index, yield components, flowering time and height). The grain yield in the latter experiments varied from 5 to 6 t ha(-1). Averaged over two years and two sowing dates in each year lines that were erectophile yielded 13% more than the planophile lines and most of this yield advantage was associated with a higher AGBM (11%). Erectophile lines had 24% more grains per unit area but a 9% lower grain weight. Erectophile lines flowered 2 days later than planophile lines and they were 7 cm shorter. Lodging, although rare in these studies, was more evident in the planophile lines. In both MAGIC populations the most erectophile lines yielded 24% more grain than the most planophile lines. Mapping was conducted on the 1000 lines from the 4-way MAGIC population grown at the irrigated and the dryland site. It showed that genetic control of canopy architecture was complex but QTL were generally repeatable at both sites. Significant QTL were identified on most chromosomes. G x E was low for canopy architecture as the scores were repeatable across years (r(2) = 0.85). This trait opens the way to improve wheat yields via increasing crop biomass which in the past has been largely intractable in breeding programs.