Vernalization of immature embryos of winter wheat genotypes

Summary The effect of direct vernalization of immature embryos on flowering was studied in six winter wheat genotypes. Fourteen-, 17-, and 20-day-old embryos were excised and vernalized for 0–6 weeks on synthetic medium during a conditioning period. Percent germination of embryos was high (overall 96.1%), and free from genotypic effects. Genotypes differed for flowering in response to cold treatment of excised embryos. Embryo vernalization was as effective as or more than conventional vernalization (control, seedling vernalization for 6 weeks). Seventeen-day-old embryos were the most responsive to vernalization. With a 5-week vernalization of 17-day-old embryos, the percentage of plants anthesed was higher than those from 14-and 20-day-old embryos. For 17-day-old embryos vernalized for 5 weeks, the mean number of days from culture to anthesis was less than that of 6 week vernalization, less than that of 14- and 20-day-old embryos, and less than controls.Purdue Univ., Agronomy Dept., W. Lafayette, IN 47907, USA.     

Genetic and cytogenetic studies with a male sterile mutant of common wheat (Triticum aestivum)

Summary Genetic and cytogenetic studies were done on a male sterile mutant of the wheat variety Probus. Association of the 4A chromosome carrying the ms gene was studied in the F₁ of the male sterile Probus with Chinese Spring ditelo 4AS, with Transec and with line T4AS-DRS respectively. The presumption that the genetic male sterility of the mutant was due to a terminal deletion of the short arm of chromosome 4A could be confirmed.Linkage studies showed that the ms gene was at 17 map units from the dwarfing gene (Rht3) of Minister dwarf. This allows selection of short male sterile plants at the seedling stage.     

冬小麦体细胞无性系种子蛋白质含量的遗传

从同一单倍体的幼穗、成熟胚、继代花药愈伤组织和种子植株幼穗获得的无性系，其蛋白质含量的变幅很大，分别为１２．１４％￣２１．３３％、１３．９８％￣２０．５１％，１３．８２％￣１７．９７％和１６．６２％￣２２．１６％。无性系蛋白质含量的变异发生在早代。获得的高蛋白特性可以遗传。已从单倍体幼穗无性系获得５个蛋白质含量高（１９％以上）的冬小麦新品系。     

Genes conferring low seedling reaction to Mexican pathotypes of Puccinia recondita f. sp. tritici,and adult-plant responses of recent wheat cultivars from the former USSR

Fifty-five spring bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivars, mostly released between 1975 and 1991 in eight leaf rust-prone spring wheat growing regions of the former USSR, were tested in the seedling growth stage for reaction to 15 Mexican pathotypes of Puccinia recondita f. sp. tritici. In total, seven known and at least two unknown genes were identified, either singly or in combinations: Lr3 (7 cultivars), Lr10 (14), Lr13 (5), Lr14a (1), Lr16 (1), Lr23 (3); the unknown genes were identified in 14 cultivars. The first unknown gene could be either Lr9, Lr19, or Lr25; however, the second unknown gene in 9 cultivars was different from any named gene. Twelve of the 15 pathotypes are virulent for this gene, hence its use in breeding for resistance will be limited. The cultivars were also evaluated at two field locations in Mexico with two pathotypes in separate experiments. The area under the disease progress curve and the final disease rating of the cultivars indicated genetic diversity for genes conferring adult plant resistance. based on the symptoms of the leaf tip necrosis in adult plants, resistance gene Lr34 could be present in at least 20 cultivars. More than half of the cultivars carry high to moderate levels of adult plant resistance and were distributed in each region.     

Wheat grain yield and stability assessed through regional trials in the Eastern Gangetic Plains of South Asia

Improving the level and stability of grain yield is the primary objective of wheat breeding programs in the Eastern Gangetic Plains (EGP) of South Asia. A regional wheat trial, the Eastern Gangetic Plains Yield Trial (EGPYT), was initiated by CIMMYT in collaboration with national wheat research programs in Bangladesh, Nepal, and India in 1999–2000 to identify wheat genotypes with high and stable grain yield, disease resistance, and superior agronomic traits for the EGP region. A set of 21 wheat experimental genotypes selected from a regional wheat screening nursery in South Asia, three improved widely grown cultivars (Kanchan, PBW343 and Bhrikuti), and one long-term cultivar (Sonalika) were tested at 9–11 sites in six wheat growing seasons (2000–2005) in the EGP. The 21 experimental genotypes were different in each year, whereas the four check cultivars were common. In each year, one or more of the experimental genotypes showed high and stable grain yield and acceptable maturity, plant height, and disease resistance compared to the check cultivars. Three improved cultivars have already been commercially released in the region through EGPYT and many germplasm lines have been used in the breeding programs as parents. Identification of wheat genotypes with high-grain yield in individual sites and high and stable yield across the EGP region underlines their value for regional wheat breeding programs attempting to improve grain yield and agronomic performance.     

Use of Triticum tauschii to improve yield of wheat in low-yielding environments

Triticum tauschii (Coss.) Schmal. is an ancestor of bread wheat (T. aestivum). This species has been widely used as a source ofsimply-inherited traits, but there are few reports of yield increases due tointrogression of genes from this species. Selections from F₂-derivedlines of backcross derivatives of synthetic hexaploid wheats (T.turgidum / T. tauschii) were evaluated for grain yield in diverseenvironments in southern Australia. Re-selections were made in theF₆ generation and evaluated for grain yield, yield componentsincluding grain weight, and grain growth characters in diverse environmentsin southern Australia and north-western Mexico. Re-selection was effectivein identifying lines which were higher yielding than the recurrent parent,except in full-irrigation environments. Grain yields of the selectedderivatives were highest relative to the recurrent parent in thelowest-yielding environments, which experienced terminal moisture deficitand heat stress during grain filling. The yield advantage of the derivativesin these environments was not due to a change in anthesis date orgrain-filling duration, but was manifest as increased rates of grain-filling andlarger grains, indicating that T. tauschii has outstanding potential forimproving wheat for low-yielding, drought-stressed environments.     

春小麦品种农艺性状综合评价的研究

应用灰色关联度分析方法，对育成的6个春小麦品种(系)分别与“参考品种”和对照品种的农艺性状进行综合定量的评价。结果表明，以“参考品种”的综合农艺性状评判出的730-1品系优于以对照品种为参照评判出的730—2品系，该结果与田间表现相一致。     

Factors responsible for levels of male sterility in photoperiod-sensitive cytoplasmic male sterile (PCMS) wheat lines

A `two-line system' using photoperiod-sensitivecytoplasmic male sterility (PCMS) caused by Aegilops crassa cytoplasm has been proposed as a newmeans of producing hybrid wheat. The PCMS line ismaintained by self-pollination under short-dayconditions (14.5 h light period), and F<sub>1</sub> seedscan be produced by outcrossing of the PCMS line witha pollinator under long-day conditions (15 h lightperiod). As the levels of male sterility in PCMSlines under the long-day conditions is a crucialfactor in determining hybrid purity of the F<sub>1</sub>seeds, a study was conducted into the effect ofseeding rate on male sterility in PCMS lines. Threedifferent density levels were tested using analloplasmic line of Japanese wheat cultivar `Norin 26'which exhibits PCMS. Levels of male sterility of thePCMS line increased at sparse planting, because tiller(ear) number per plant increased at low seedingdensity and late-appearing ears tended to exhibithigher levels of male sterility than early-appearingears. On the other hand, male sterility levels of thePCMS lines depended on genotype, e.g., the PCMS`Fujimikomugi' was completely male sterile, whereasthe PCMS `Norin 26' showed partial male sterility. APCMS line showing complete male sterility, such as thePCMS `Fujimikomugi', should produce F<sub>1</sub> seeds withhigh purity. However, the PCMS `Fujimikomugi' showeda lower female fertility. For practical use, it isnecessary to produce PCMS lines having high malesterility with high female fertility under long-dayconditions.     

In vitro androgenesis of wheat: from fundamentals to practical application

Wheat anther cultures have a history of almost 30 years and are nowemployed efficiently in many countries of the world for the developmentof doubled haploid lines for breeding. The present paper discusses keyquestions of the elaboration and perfection of the method: cytologicalaspects of in vitro androgenesis, the conditions required for theembryogenic development of microspores and the applicability of anthercultures in the Martonvásár wheat breeding programme.     

Selection of wheat based on economic returns per unit area

This study aimed to investigate a cultivar selection criterion based on income ha⁻¹ in common wheat. Regional yield trials with 20 entries were planted in Diyarbakır, Hazro and Ceylanpınar in southeast Anatolia in the 2004/2005 growing season. A randomized complete block design with four replications was employed. Grain samples from each location were subjected to quality analyses, and then presented to randomly selected grain purchasers with the local commodity market for market price estimations. Entries 1, 9, 10, 7 and 6 were the top five ranking entries for grain yield, giving 5,320, 5,290, 5,280, 5,140 and 5,130 kg ha⁻¹, respectively. From the market price perspective, entries 17, 3, 7, 20 and 8 received the five highest marketing price offers with the values 239.0, 238.1, 237.1, 236.9 and 236.7 US$ tonne⁻¹, respectively. There was a US$ 10.94 tonne⁻¹ market price difference between entries with the highest and the lowest market price. The only quality analyses showing significant correlations with market price were Zeleny sedimentation value and hectolitre weights (kg hl⁻¹). From thev production income [= marketing price (US$ tonne⁻¹) × grain yield (kg ha⁻¹)] point of view, entries 9, 10, 1, 7 and 6 were ranked from 1st to 5th for production income ha⁻¹ with the values 1,241.0, 1,238.0, 1,219.9, 1,214.2 and 1,209.3 US$ ha⁻¹, respectively. All five high yielding entries were also high-income entries. A rank stability analysis further indicated that entry numbers 6, 7, 8, 4 and 1 stable for high production income ha⁻¹. A simulation study, based on allocation of additional premiums for high quality indicated that entries 9,1,10, 7, and 6 would be top ranking for high income ha⁻¹ if given an additional premium of as much as twice the standard deviations of market price for each entry (the highest premium limit; 20.24 US$ tonne⁻¹). The order for cultivar preference for high production income ha⁻¹ would change and would generate 1,321.94, 1,296.20, 1,281.11, 1,258.06 and 1,243.01 US$ ha⁻¹, respectively. It was concluded that the relatively quality conscious Şanlıurfa commodity market does not offer adequate premiums for the high quality grains. This results in farmer preference for high yielding lower quality cultivars. Even though quality cannot be neglected, and cultivar preference could change with additional premiums, breeders must give more attention to high production income ha⁻¹.