The introduction of semi-dwarf cereal crop varieties in the 1960s enabled extensive increases in global food production. Semi-dwarf barley cultivars have shorter stature and improved stress resistance, grain yield and quality than tall varieties. The major semi-dwarf genes, sdw1 and ari-e, have been widely used in barley breeding programmes worldwide. In this study, we identified a novel sdw1 allele in cv. Lockyer and investigated the effect of sdw1 and ari-e and their interactions on plant height, flowering time and grain yield using a Multi-parent Advanced Generation Inter-cross (MAGIC) population generated from four elite barley cultivars. Allele-specific markers combined with Kompetitive Allele Specific Polymerase Chain Reaction (KASP) assays were used for fast and accurate screening of plants with different allele combinations. The results showed that the novel sdw1 allele from cv. Lockyer had similar effects on plant growth and phenology as the known sdw1.d allele. The two semi-dwarf genes sdw1 and ari-e had an additive effect for plant height with height reductions up to 27 cm. The ari-e gene triggered earlier flowering up to 6 days compared to WT and reduced the delay in flowering time caused by the sdw1 gene. The two semi-dwarf genes boosted grain yields by 20% in the sdw1 plants and up to 28% in plants with the two combined semi-dwarf genes. The results presented will benefit the development of higher-yielding and better-adapted barley cultivars.

1960年代引进了半矮化谷物作物品种，使全球粮食产量大幅度提高。与矮品种相比，半矮大麦品种的身材矮小，抗逆性，谷物产量和品质都有所提高。主要的半矮基因sdw1和ari-e已在全球大麦育种计划中广泛使用。在这项研究中，我们在简历中鉴定了一个新的sdw1等位基因。Lockyer并研究了sdw1和ari-e的作用以及使用由四个优良大麦品种产生的多亲代高级杂交（MAGIC）群体，研究了它们在株高，开花时间和籽粒产量上的相互作用。等位基因特异性标记物与竞争性等位基因特异性聚合酶链反应（KASP）分析相结合，可用于快速，准确地筛选具有不同等位基因组合的植物。结果表明，来自简历的新的sdw1等位基因。洛克耶对植物生长和物候的影响与已知的sdw1.d等位基因相似。两个半矮基因sdw1和ari-e对植物高度有累加效应，高度降低了27 cm。该ARI-E与WT相比，该基因可触发提前6天开花，并减少了sdw1基因引起的开花时间延迟。两个半矮基因使sdw1植物的谷物产量提高了20％，而具有两个半矮基因组合的植物的谷物产量提高了28％。提出的结果将有利于高产和适应性更好的大麦品种的发展。