Genome-Wide Association Studies of Romanian Wheat Cultivars

from the Vegetal Genetic Resources Bank Suceava

Iulian Gabur¹, Tiberiu Emilian Sârbu¹, Danela Murariu², Dănuţ-Petru Simioniuc¹

¹“Ion Ionescu de la Brad” University of Life Sciences, Iași
²Vegetal Genetic Resources Bank “Mihai Cristea”, Suceava

Keywords: GWAS, wheat, SNPs, Triticum monococcum.

Abstract: Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is one of the world’s most important crop species, largely because its grain contains high levels of carbohydrates and proteins in a ratio well suited to human nutritional needs. It is also among the earliest domesticated crops of agronomic significance, having been cultivated by humans as early as 10,000-12,000 years B.C. In Romania, wheat has been grown for more than 2,500 years, based on archaeological findings along the shores of the Black Sea, underscoring the crop’s long-standing cultural and economic importance. This study includes 350 wheat genotypes - comprising local populations, commercial varieties, and breeding materials - provided by the Mihai Cristea Vegetal Genetic Resources Bank in Suceava. The objective of this study is to perform genomic analyses of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and einkorn (Triticum monococcum) cultivars, using the SNP chip array, and identify genetic patterns linked with important agronomic traits and adaptation to local environments.