Potential uses of microsatellites in marker-assisted selection for improved bread-making quality in wheat

Implementation of marker assisted selection (MAS) in conventional breeding programs could allow assessment of the genetic potential of specific genotypes prior to their phenotypic evaluation. Furthermore, it could identify important trait alleles or marker-trait associations for further determination of a precise position for the loci of interest. Potential uses of microsatellite markers in molecular evaluation of bread-making quality was tested in a sample of 69 wheat genotypes that were genotyped with 3 microsatellites linked to previously mapped QTLs for loaf volume and Hagberg falling number on chromosome 3A. A total of 19 alleles were found, with an average of 6.33 alleles per loci, and average PIC value of 0.40. Specific SSR alleles were tested for association with bread-making related parameters. The association study approach, which uses statistical analysis of marker and phenotypic data, showed significant association of a specific allele at the GWM674 locus with Hagberg falling number in wheat