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Transcriptional signatures associated with female receptivity and longevity in genetically male-sterile wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)
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  • Published: 06 March 2026

Transcriptional signatures associated with female receptivity and longevity in genetically male-sterile wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

  • Ryan Whitford1,3,
  • Ute Baumann1,
  • Xiujuan Yang1,
  • Matthew R. Tucker1,
  • Kewin Ogink2,
  • Faezeh Mahdavi Mazdeh2,
  • Indeewari Dissanayake2,
  • Mark W. Davey2 &
  • …
  • Antje Rohde2 nAff4 

Scientific Reports , Article number:  (2026) Cite this article

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We are providing an unedited version of this manuscript to give early access to its findings. Before final publication, the manuscript will undergo further editing. Please note there may be errors present which affect the content, and all legal disclaimers apply.

Subjects

  • Biotechnology
  • Genetics
  • Molecular biology
  • Plant sciences

Abstract

Widespread deployment of wheat hybrids has been limited by high seed production costs in a commercial environment. This is due to poor outcrossing characteristics of wheat which can, in part, be attributed to poor female organ receptivity to airborne pollen. Here we underpin a detailed characterization of cross-pollination seed set progression in both emasculated wild-type, and a genetically male-sterile wheat line with a comprehensive RNA-Seq and co-expression analysis. We identify three clear phases in the fertilization window: stigma development and onset of receptivity, effective pollination period, and senescence onset and subsequent tissue deterioration. By profiling female-specific marker genes, we determined that physical emasculation of wild-type ‘cv. Chris’ (Ms1) advances female development 2 to 3 days relative to genic male sterility (ms1d). Gene networks linked to gibberellic acid homeostasis were found associated with styloid and stigma hair elongation, and increased expression of peroxidases associated with peak receptivity (3 days after floret gaping). Further, changes in the expression of exocyst complex components coincided with the onset of stigma hair senescence. Together the applied clustering and differential expression strategy identified biologically meaningful expression signatures, particularly in stigma hairs, that correlate with the effective pollination period and the observed cross-pollination seed set. Overall, the datasets represent a valuable resource to help identify and/or engineer improved cross-pollination seed set, and ultimately leading to greater insights into this complex biological process and a more cost-effective hybrid seed production system.

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Data availability

All data supporting the conclusions of this study are presented within the paper and its Supplementary Information files. The datasets generated and analysed during the current study are available in the SRA repository of NCBI under BioProject PRJNA1336630.

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Acknowledgements

The authors wish to thank Chao Ma for technical assistance and discussions. Cytology experiments were undertaken with support and expertise of Dr Gwenda Mayo of Microscopy Australia (ROR:042mm0k03) at Adelaide Microscopy, University of Adelaide, enabled by NCRIS, university and state government support. R.W. is funded Australian Research Council (ARC) Industry Fellowship IM230100042 supported by BASF.

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Author notes
  1. Antje Rohde

    Present address: KWS SAAT SE, 37574, Einbeck, Germany

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Waite Research Institute, School of Agriculture, Food and Wine, University of Adelaide, Urrbrae, SA, 5064, Australia

    Ryan Whitford, Ute Baumann, Xiujuan Yang & Matthew R. Tucker

  2. BASF Belgium Coordination Center – Innovation Center Gent, Technologiepark 101, 9052, Ghent, Belgium

    Kewin Ogink, Faezeh Mahdavi Mazdeh, Indeewari Dissanayake, Mark W. Davey & Antje Rohde

  3. Centre for Crop and Food Innovation (CCFI), State Agricultural Biotechnology Centre (SABC), Food Futures Institute, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA, 6150, Australia

    Ryan Whitford

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R.W., U.B., M.W.D. and A.R conceived and supervised the project; R.W., and X.Y. performed experiments; U.B., F.M.M., I.D., K.O. conducted bioinformatic analysis; R.W., U.B., X.Y., L.X., F.M.M., I.D., K.O., M.W.D. and A.R. analysed and discussed the results; R.W., U.B., I.D., M.R.T, M.W.D. and A.R. wrote and revised the manuscript, and all authors contributed to the final version.

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Correspondence to Ryan Whitford or Mark W. Davey.

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Competing interests

R.W. is funded Australian Research Council (ARC) Industry Fellowship IM230100042 supported by BASF (Belgium). K.O., F.M.M. I.D. M.W.D and A.R. were employed by BASF for the duration of the study. R.W. has also consulted for BASF and received compensation. U.B., X.Y. and M.R.T. declare no potential conflict of interest.

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Whitford, R., Baumann, U., Yang, X. et al. Transcriptional signatures associated with female receptivity and longevity in genetically male-sterile wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). Sci Rep (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-41612-1

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  • Received: 08 September 2025

  • Accepted: 20 February 2026

  • Published: 06 March 2026

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-41612-1

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Keywords

  • RNASeq
  • Male sterility
  • Ms1
  • Stigma
  • Receptivity
  • Effective pollination period
  • Hybrid breeding
  • Wheat
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