DOI: 10.5061/dryad.dv41ns27q
title: Female flowering traits influencing hybrid grain production in wheat

description: To better understand how to produce hybrid wheat grains more efficiently,
 we examined the impact of synchronized flowering between female
 (male-sterile) lines and their male cross-pollinator lines, as well as the
 effect of flowering duration on hybrid grain production. Over a three-year
 field trial, we found that synchronization of flowering times with the
 longest possible overlap had the most significant positive effect on
 hybrid grain production. However, even with adequate spatial and temporal
 synchronization, some female lines still produced fewer hybrid grains than
 others, indicating genetic differences in female flower receptivity. To
 assess female receptivity more accurately, we developed a new phenotyping
 scale for male-sterile wheat flowers, which provides the floral foundation
 for effective cross-pollination. Our field and greenhouse trials showed
 that the better-performing female lines remained in the pollen-receptive
 phase for a longer period.
description: <strong>FieldExp:</strong> Whole
 plots were phenotyped in the field trial. The yield was recorded by
 harvesting with a plot combine harvester. Non-sterile plots were not
 included in the calculation. The Nick-index values were calculated
 afterward.
 <strong>GreenhouseExp:</strong>
 The length of floret 1 and 2 was determined using a Stemi 2000
 microscope. The stages were visually phenotyped.
description: # Female flowering traits influencing hybrid grain production in wheat
 [https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.dv41ns27q](https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.dv41ns27q) ## Description of the data and file structure FieldExp: Data are presented for flowering, and other hybrid production-related traits on 4 winter wheat female lines, grown during 3 growth seasons on the field. GreenhouseExp: Data are presented for ovary length and Waddington Stage on 2 winter wheat female lines, grown in controlled conditions (greenhouse). ### Files and variables #### File: FieldExp.csv **Description:**  ##### Variables * Plot: unique number for this plot * Material: Genotype * HD: Heading date in days after January 1st * FLS: Flowering start in days after January 1st * FLP: Flowering peak in days after January 1st (in 2020 this column represents the trait "SO" = "Second Opening") * FLE: Flowering end in days after January 1st * PH: Plant height in cm * Year: Year of trial * yield: yield in gram per m² * Rep: Replication * SO_Beg: Second opening begin (only 2020 data, 2018 and 2019 n/a) in days after January 1st * SO_End: Second opening end (only 2020 data, 2018 and 2019 n/a) in days after January 1st * FLD: Flowering duration in days * SOD: Second opening duration (only 2020 data, 2018 and 2019 n/a) in days * male: Male genotype * male_FLS: Male flowering start in days after January 1st * male_FLP: Male flowering peak in days after January 1st * male_FLE: Male flowering end in days after January 1st * male_PH: Male plant height in cm * CROSS: Crossed parents * FLP_syn: Amount of days flowering of parents synchronized * Nick_FLS: Nick-index calculated for Flowering start * Nick_FLP: Nick-index calculated for flowering peak * Nick_FLE: Nick-index calculated for flowering end * Nick: Mean of Nick_FLS and Nick_FLP * Nick_SO_Beg: Nick-index calculated for Second opening begin (only 2020 data, 2018 and 2019 n/a) * Nick_SO: Nick-index calculated for Second opening (only 2020 data, 2018 and 2019 n/a) n/a = Trait was not phenotyped null = missing value #### File: GreenhouseExp.csv **Description:**  ##### Variables * Genotype: Genotypes * Replication: Different plant used * DAHD: Days after heading date * Position: Spikelet position at the spike (count from bottom) * Floret1: First floret ovary size in µm * Floret2: Second floret ovary size in µm * Stage: Waddington Stage+