Homoeo-alleles of wheat GNI2 fuel grain yields across input environments

Sakuma, S.; Bozzoli, M.; Golan, G.; Makhoul, M.; Forestan, C.; Tan, K.; Khan, A. R.; De Sario, F.; Milner, S. G.; Sciara, G.; Liu, C.; Frascaroli, E.; Abe, F.; Hensel, G.; Feng, J.-W.; Mascher, M.; Ammar, K.; Dreisigacker, S.; Kojima, M.; Okamoto, M.; Tuberosa, R.; Salvi, S.; Snowdon, R.; Maccaferri, M.; Schnurbusch, T.

doi:10.64898/2026.04.28.721284

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bioRxiv · 10.64898/2026.04.28.721284

Homoeo-alleles of wheat GNI2 fuel grain yields across input environments

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Abstract

Grain yield in wheat is frequently driven by pre-anthesis growth and how carbon is directed to reproductive parts, determining the potential size of the grain-producing sink. However, the genetic mechanisms controlling this carbon allocation remain unclear. In this study we discovered a series of loci in tetraploid and hexaploid wheats that, when combined, confer an average grain yield advantage in hexaploid winter wheat of approx. 5-7% under high-input farming while approx. 10-15% under low-input conditions. The responsible gene is GRAIN NUMBER INCREASE 2 (GNI2), ancestral to its duplicate GNI1, and represented by the homoeo-allelic series GNI-A2, GNI-B2, and GNI-D2. GNI1 and all GNI2 copies additively affect floral growth and fertility by modulating reproductive allocation and harvest index. Herewith, we describe a series of grain yield-relevant GNI2 homoeo-alleles with a proven track record for being beneficial in both high- and low-input environments. Their deployment offers a sustainable pathway to raise global grain yields in the future.

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Sakuma, S., Bozzoli, M., Golan, G., Makhoul, M., Forestan, C., Tan, K., Khan, A. R., De Sario, F., Milner, S. G., Sciara, G., Liu, C., Frascaroli, E., Abe, F., Hensel, G., Feng, J.-W., Mascher, M., Ammar, K., Dreisigacker, S., Kojima, M., Okamoto, M., Tuberosa, R., Salvi, S., Snowdon, R., Maccaferri, M., Schnurbusch, T.. 2026-04-30. Homoeo-alleles of wheat GNI2 fuel grain yields across input environments. https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.04.28.721284

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