Parental effects on crossability,embryo differentiation and plantlet recovery in wheat x rye hybrids

Summary One hexaploid wheat cultivar (Triticum aestivem) and two tetraploid wheat lines (T. durum) were crossed with seventeen inbred lines of rye (Secale cereale). Seed set, degree of hybrid embryo differentiation at the time of excision for in vitro culture and recovery of amphihaploid plantlets from various embryo categories were studied. Degree of embryo differentiation was predominantly determined by maternal wheats, paternal rye genotypes appearing to be of minor importance. T. aestivum x rye hybrid embryos were superior to those produced from T. durum for degree of differentiation. The proportion of plantlets developing from differentiated embryos was high for all wheat parents, whereas undifferentiated embryos were mostly unsuitable for plantlet production. The results revealed that cross-incompatibility in hexaploid wheat x rye crosses was due to failure of fertilization, while in tetraploid wheat x rye crosses it was caused by lack of embryo differentiation. Correlation analyses showed that seed set provided a criterion to predict the amphihaploid plantlets to be expected from a particular wheat x rye combination.     

Development of the components of a cytoplasmic male sterility hybrid system in rye through anther culture

Anther culture was applied as a method to develop the essential components of a cytoplasmic male sterility hybrid system in rye (Secale cereale L.). These components are the male sterile seed parent (A line), its isogenic maintainer counterpart (B line) and the restorer pollen parent (R line). Australian rye cultivars were crossed reciprocally to the cultivar ‘Luchs’ which carries the Pampa male sterile cytoplasm (cms-P). Anthers of the F1s in the cms-P cytoplasm (primary cross) and their reciprocals in the normal cytoplasm (reciprocal cross) were cultured in a modified C17 medium. Male sterile and male fertile doubled haploids were obtained from the anther culture of the F1s in the cms-P cytoplasm. Testcrosses indicated that the male sterile doubled haploids were A lines and the male fertile doubled haploids were R lines (restorers). The anther culture of genotypes in the normal cytoplasm (reciprocal cross) gave all male fertile doubled haploids. Testcrosses indicated that the male fertile doubled haploids were R lines (restorers) in the normal cytoplasm. The expected maintainer B lines were not identified because of the limited number of doubled haploids obtained from the anther culture of reciprocal crosses. Experimental single cross hybrids between male sterile and restorer male fertile doubled haploids showed high levels of heterosis. The results of this study have significant economic implications especially in the production of hybrids in several species. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Expression of 17 rye (Secale cereale L.) traits in a range of durum wheat (Triticum durum Desf.) and bread wheat (T. aestivum L.) genetic backgrounds

Summary Expression of 17 rye traits in 24 bread wheat x rye and 8 durum wheat x rye crosses was studied, using a self-compatible, homozygous, dwarf rye. Rye showed epistasis for hairiness on the peduncle in all the crosses of Triticum aestivum and T. durum wheats with rye. Dark greenness of leaves of rye was expressed in all the durum wheat x rye and in some of the bread wheat x rye crosses. Similarly, absence of auricle pubescence, a rye trait, was expressed in most of the durum wheat x rye crosses but not in the bread wheat x rye crosses, indicating the presence of inhibitors for these traits frequently on the D genome and rarely on the A and/or B genome of wheat. Most of the wide hybrids resembled rye fully or partially for intense waxy bloom on the leaf-sheath and for the absence of basal underdeveloped spikelets. Similarly, most of the amphihaploids resembled rye for the anthocyanin in the coleoptile, stem and node. The presence of some inhibitors on A and/or B genome of wheat was indicated in some of the wheat genotypes for the expression of rye traits viz. intense waxy bloom, anthocyanin in node and absence of basal underdeveloped spikelets. Enhancement in the level of expression of the intensity and length of bristles on the mid-rib of the glume of the hybrids might be due to wheat-rye interaction. Less number of florets/spikelet as in rye showed variable expression in different wheat backgrounds. Some other rye traits like absence of auricles, terminal spikelet and glume-awn were not expressed in the wheat background. The expression of some of the rye genes might have been influenced by their interaction with Triticum cytoplasm and/or the environment.     

Two unnecessary powdery mildew resistance genes in a synthetic rye population are neutral on fitness

A synthetic winter rye population was produced with two race-specific powdery mildew resistance genes, one dominant (Rm1) and the other (rm2) recessive, each at a frequency of about 0.50. The population was advanced by open-pollination in an isolated plot under mildew-free conditions for eight years. Samples of generations Syn-0 through Syn-7 were inoculated in the laboratory with two mildew isolates, one avirulent to either resistance gene, the other virulent to Rm1 and avirulent to rm2, to discriminate resistant and susceptible phenotypes. From the proportions of resistant plants, frequencies of Rm1 and rm2 were calculated and the fitness of carriers of resistance alleles was estimated in relation to carriers of susceptibility alleles at the two loci using continuous models and linear regression analyses. Frequencies of the two resistance genes oscillated only weakly over the eight generations. Coefficients of selection against Rm1-and rm2rm2 genotypes were –0.04 and –0.02, respectively, and not significantly different from zero. Thus the two resistance genes were selectively neutral. It is concluded that pyramiding of major powdery mildew resistance genes in rye varieties should not reduce their yield potential in the absence of mildew.     

The derivation of compensating translocations involving homoeologous group 3 chromosomes of wheat and rye

Summary The Sr27 translocation in WRT238 was found to consist of chromosome arms 3RS of rye and 3AS of common wheat. An attempt was made to purposely produce compensating translocations having 3RS and a wheat homoeologous group 3L arm. To achieve this, plants, double monosomic for 3R and a wheat homoeologous group 3 chromosome, were irradiated (7.5 Gy gamma rays) or left untreated before being used to pollinate stem rust susceptible testers. Segregation for stem rust resistance was studied to identify F₂ families with Sr27-carrying translocated chromosomes, these were confirmed by means of C-banding. Compensating translocations 3RS3AL and 3RS3BL) were obtained readily and at similar frequencies from untreated and irradiated plants (respectively, 7.2% and 9.3%). Both translocation types have impaired transmission and segregate approximately 3: 2 (present: absent) in the F₂.     

The site of action of crossability genes (Kr 1, Kr 2) between Triticum and Secale. II. Proportion of pistils containing pollen tubes and effects of alternate pollination on seed set

Summary Different wheat genotypes (T. aestivum) were crossed with rye to ascertain the site or sites of manifestation of the crossability genes, Kr ₁ and Kr ₂. By using fluorescence microscopy, it was found that the order of increasing proportion of wheat micropyles containing pollen tubes is strongly correlated with the levels of crossability with rye. High crossable genotypes have more micropyles containing pollen tubes than those of the low crossable ones. Most of the inhibition or retardation of pollen tubes occurred between the style base and top of the embryo sac, expecially with the low crossable genotypes where both Kr-genes are present. The results also indicate that Kr ₁ is a greater inhibitor than Kr ₂. Seed set is also highly correlated with the number or proportion of micropyles having pollen tubes. Alternate pollinations seem to support the view that rye pollen tubes do not reach the micropyles of the low crossable genotypes, and hence when repollinated with wheat selfed seeds are produced.     

Quantitative-genetic analysis of leaf-rust resistance in seedling and adult-plant stages of inbred lines and their testcrosses in winter rye

Leaf rust is the most frequent leaf disease of winter rye in Germany. All widely grown population and hybrid varieties are susceptible. This study was undertaken to estimate quantitative‐genetic parameters of leaf‐rust resistance in self‐fertile breeding materials with introgressed foreign leaf‐rust resistances and to analyze the relative importance of seedling and adult‐plant resistance. Forty‐four inbred lines and their corresponding testcrosses with a highly susceptible tester line were grown in a field in four different environments (location‐year combinations) with artificial inoculation. Plots were separated by a nonhost to promote autoinfections and minimize interplot interference. Leaf‐rust severity was rated on three leaf insertions at three dates. The testcrosses showed a considerably higher disease severity than the lines. High correlations (r ? 0.9, P = 0.01) existed among the leaf insertions and the rating dates. Large genotypic variation for resistance was found in both the inbred and testcross populations. Genotype‐environment interaction and error variances were of minor importance, thus high entry‐mean heritabilities were achieved. A tight correlation between the inbreds and their corresponding testcrosses was found (r = 0.88, P = 0.01). Heterosis for resistance was significant (P = 0.05), but not very important. In a seedling test with 20—30 single‐pustule isolates, 34 out of 44 inbreds reacted race‐specifically. From the remaining inbred lines, three were medium and seven highly susceptible. In a further greenhouse test with 16 inbreds, seven were susceptible and five were resistant in both seedling and adult‐plant stages. The remaining four lines had adult‐plant resistance. In conclusion, race‐specific leaf‐rust resistance can be selected among inbred lines per se. Lines should also be tested in the adult‐plant stage.     

Efficiency of different PCR-based marker systems in assessing genetic diversity among winter rye (Secale cereale L.) inbred lines

Summary The aim of this study was to investigate the efficiency of ISSR, SSR, and SAMPL marker systems in detecting genetic polymorphism among 30 winter rye inbred lines and to compare the results of cluster analysis performed on data from these marker systems using different statistical methods and coefficients. Each marker system was able to discriminate among the materials analyzed with the lowest value of average genetic similarity (GS) obtained with ISSR markers (0.2888) and the highest with SAMPLs (0.5381). EST-derived SSRs turned out to be less efficient in detecting genetic diversity than those from genomic libraries (average GS values 0.3814 and 0.3221, respectively). The average GS value for combined SSR data was 0.3569. The lack of correlations between similarity and cophenetic matrices obtained with various methods systems suggests that different marker systems should be used simultaneously for a genetic diversity study to exploit as many sources of polymorphisms as possible.     

Chromosome locations of genes controlling ‘purple leaf base’ in rye and wheat

Summary Purple leaf base is expressed only if there is anthocyanin pigmentation in coleoptiles either in rye or in rye-wheat-additions. Genes controlling purple leaf base were found to be located on chromosomes 5R (An5), 4B (Ra2) and 6B (Ra3) using the trisomic set of rye cv. Esto and autoplasmic rye-wheat-additions, respectively.