Components of Response in Barley Anther Culture

Anther culture response with 17 widely-grown varieties and one model variety of barley was studied with one replication from field-grown donor plants and one replication from a growth-chamber. Plants were regenerated from all 18 varieties and green plants were obtained from 16 of them. On average, 1.6 green plants were obtained per 100 cultured anthers from all the material. Estimated variance components for the formation of embryos/callus from the anthers were dominated by the effects of the genotypes and interactions between plant material and environments which together accounted for 60.1 and 17.0 % of the total variation respectively, while environments were nonsignificant for this character. Plant regeneration from embryos/callus were not significantly influenced by either genotype or environments. Components of variance for green plant formation were dominated by the effects of the genotypes, accounting for 73.2 % of the total variation, and a smaller effect from environments accounting for 11.2% of the total variation. Main effects from genotypes on the percentage of green regenerants divided 7 varieties into two distinct groups, indicating that major genetic factors were involved. The genetic basis for green plant regeneration seems different from that governing embryo formation. The results are discussed with respect to the possible prediction of anther culture response for new barley hybrids, as a means for directing the use of barley anther culture towards material that responds well.     

Changes in Frequency of Plants Resistant to Barley Leaf Rust Caused by Puccinia hordei Otth. in a Barley Composite Cross Population

The response of barley Composite Cross XLI to selection for resistance to leaf rust was evaluated. Representative samples from eight cycles of recurrent selection were inoculated with an isolate of Puccinia bordei Otth. in both the seedling and adult plant stage. Disease symptoms were evaluated 14 days after inoculation. The resistance in CC XLI increased with selection in the seedling stage from 15.1 to 20.5 %, and in the adult plant stage from 20.5 to 37.5 %, respectively. The largest gains in resistance were observed in the earlier cycles of recurrent selection. Significant fluctuations in percent resistant plants occurred between the years.     

Morphological and molecular analysis of androgenetic, selfed and backcrossed plants produced from a Hordeum vulgare x H, bulbosum hybrid

Anther culture (AC) was carried out on a fertile triploid hybrid between Hordeum vulgare L. (cultivated barley) and H. bulbosum L, (bulbous barley grass) to determine whether AC-derived regenerants differed from progeny obtained through selfing and backcrossing. Chromosome counts were carried out on all plants and DNA was extracted from them to prepare Southern blots for molecular analysis. To identify true recombinants, the blots were probed with rye repetitive sequence probes (pSc119.1 and pScl19.2). which hybridize strongly and specifically to H. bulbosum DNA. Twenty probes that detect single- or low-copy sequences were hybridized with Southern blots containing restricted DNA extracted from 25 AC-derived plants, 11 selfed and six backcrossed progeny that showed hybridizations with pScll9. Although restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLPs) were only observed using probes that map to four of the possible 14 chromosome arms, an introgression associated with chromosome 6HS was frequently observed among plants derived from AC. selfing and backcrossing. Plants from AC differed from selfed and backcrossed progeny in their chromosome number; unique RFLP bands that were occasionally observed may indicate chromosomal rearrangements.     

Genetics of multiple disease resistance in a doubled-haploid population of barley

The barley accession Q21861 possesses resistance to the stem-rust (Puccinia graminis f.sp. tritici), leaf-rust (P. hordei), and powdery-mildew (Blumeria graminis f.sp. hordei) pathogens. An anther-culture-derived doubled-haploid population was produced from F₁ plants from a cross of this accession and the susceptible breeding line SM89010 as a means of rapidly and efficiently determining the genetics of multiple disease resistance. The doubled-haploid population segregated 1:1 (resistant:susceptible) for resistance to the stem rust pathotype QCC indicating the involvement of a single resistance gene, rpg4. Two-gene (3:1) and one-gene (1:1) segregation ratios were observed for resistance to the stem-rust pathotype MCC at low (23–25°c) and high (27–29°C) temperature, respectively. These different segregation patterns were due to a pathotype × temperature interaction exhibited by rpg4 and Rpg1. another stem-rust-resistance gene present in Q21861. One-gene and two-gene segregation ratios were observed in reaction to the leaf rust and powdery mildew pathogens. These data demonstrate the utility of doubled haploid populations for determining the genetics of multiple disease resistance in barley.     

Resistance to the Barley Yellow Mosaic Virus Complex — Differential Genotypic Reactions and Genetics of BaMMV-Resistance of Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.)

Barley yellow mosaic disease is caused by several viruses, i.e. barley yellow mosaic virus (BaYMV), barley mild mosaic virus (BaMMV) and BaYMV-2. The reaction of different barley germplasms to the barley mosaic viruses was studied in field and greenhouse experiments. The results show a complex situation; some varieties are resistant to all the viruses, while others are resistant to one or two of them only. Crosses between different barley germplasms were earned out in order to test whether genetic diversity of resistance against mosaic viruses does exist, particularly, BaMMV. A total of 45 foreign barley varieties were crossed to German cultivars carrying the resistance gene ym4. In F₂ of 27 crosses, no segregation could be detected, leading to the conclusion that the resistance genes of the foreign parents are allelic with ym4 e.g. Ym1 (‘Mokusekko 3’) and Ym2 (‘Mihori Hadaka 3’). A total of 18 crosses segregated in F₂ indicating that foreign parents, like ‘Chikurin Ibaraki 1’, ‘Iwate Omugi 1’, and “Anson Barley”, carry resistance genes different from the gene of German cultivars, e.g. ‘Asorbia’ or ‘Franka’. By means of statistical evaluation (Chi²-test), the observed segregation ratios were analyzed in order to obtain significant information on the heredity of resistance. All the resistance genes described here as being different from the gene ym4, act recessively. Most of the exotic varieties seem to carry only one resistance gene. In a few cases, more than one gene may be present.     

Genetic Variability for Grain Yield and Protein Content in Barley and Its Modification by Net Blotch

Protein content, yield and 1000-grain weight of healthy and net blotch-diseased plants were studied in a diallel cross programme concerning nine different varieties of barley (Hordeum vulgare L.). F₁ hybrids and their parents were grown in the field in two randomized block design experiments each with three replications (three inoculated and three non-inoculated plots). General and specific combining abilities were determined for yield, protein percentage, 1000 grain weight, protein yield, and non-protein yield. A high genetic variability for the traits studied was observed. Non-protein yield and 1000-grain weight decreased significantly in inoculated plants where protein yield was not affected. Significant general and specific combining abilities were observed for all traits. Values for general and specific combining abilities were, in some cases, significantly modified by net blotch of barley. This indicates that attention must be paid to the danger of drawing conclusions in quantitative genetics studies dealing with both diseased and healthy plants.     

Male Sterility in Barley

The anther form and development of eight two-rowed genie male sterile barley mutants are abnormal. The male sterility in each mutant is conditioned by single non-allelic recessive genes. These mutant genes cause reductions in anther size and lumen diameter. Though in seven mutants, the male meiosis is normal until microspore liberation, the micro-spores abort in all cases after release from the PMCs. In one mutant, the microspores degenerate at the tetrad stage before release from the PMCs. In four mutants, the tapetal development and disintegration are normal, in four others they are abnormal. Despite these variations, the male sterility in all the eight mutants is complete.     

Performance and Variability of Local Barley Landraces in Near-Eastern Environments

Homozygous lines from six Syrian and two Jordanian landrace populations were tested under highly productive growing conditions in Tel Hadia (1982/83), under drought stress in Breda (1983/84), and under dryland salinity stress in Hegla (1982/83/84) in Syria. Mean grain yield levels ranged between 260 kg/ha and 4850 kg/ha. Under drought and salinity stress, the majority of the landrace lines out-yielded the best cheeks significantly. In Tel Hadia the check cultivars mostly outyielded the landrace lines, but not always significantly. In all environments the harvest index of the landrace lines was near the optimum for barley. They expressed intermediate plant height and time to flowering, high lodging susceptibility under favorable growing conditions, high protein content, and a wide range of yield component combinations. In the stress environments highly significant genetic variation among the landrace lines was found. The heritabilities for gram yield were high in these trials. The correlations between performance under stress and under favorable growing conditions were poor. Therefore, the largest gains for variety improvement for the Syrian steppe area are expected from direct selection under stress conditions. Unique responses in proline accumulation and germination patterns in saline solution indicated specific adaptation in this material. These landraces, thus, are a useful source of breeding material, which also widens the genetic base of the present breeding program.     

A Possible Association Between Heading Time and the GM-A2 Locus in Bread Wheat

A line without expression (null form) o: the α-gliadins controlled by the 6A chromosome was found when screening electrosboretically single seeds of the bread wheat ‘Raeder’. Differences in heading time were also observed between this null line and the normal one. A linkage between 6A gliadin genes and heading time gene(s) is hypothesized.     

Divergent Selection for Heading Date in Barley

Divergent selection for heading time was performed in two F₂ barley population. Five populations were obtained for each cross: F₅ SSD (unselected control), 3E and 3L (from three cycles of selection for earliness or lateness), 2E1L and ZL1E (from two cycles of direct and one of reverse selection). These populations, together with corresponding parents and F₂ generations, were evaluated over two years. The response to selection was 5.6 and 6.5 days inane direction (earlier heading) and 7.7 and 6.7 clays in the other direction (later heading) in the two crosses, respectively. 3E and 3L populations were highly transgressive as compared to their parents. A sizeable amount of genetic variability was still present after two cycles of selection. Heading was probably controlled by a polygenic system with prevailing additive effects and alleles for earliness and earliness somewhat equally distributed in the parents. Selection fur heading time led to significant changes in plant height, yield and kernel weight. Early progenies were higher yielding than lace ones.