Physiological responses of six bread wheat and durum wheat genotypes to water stress

Summary The responses of six wheat genotypes to water stress were analysed. Soil moisture (H), leaf water potential (_w), photosynthesis (P_N), stomatal resistance (r_s) and transpiration (T) were measured during a water stress. The genotypes investigated differed in their stress avoidance (_w-H relationship) and their stress tolerance (P_N-_w and r_s-_w relationships). The most important differences observed concern the mechanisms of tolerance at low leaf water potential: two varieties, Haurani 27 and Baalback, can then maintain a high photosynthetic activity. These observations are in agreement with the drought resistance characteristics already known for these genotypes. Possible applications to wheat breeding are considered     

Response to selection for grain yield and harvest index in F2, F3 and F4 derived lines of two wheat crosses

Summary Aspects of selection for yield and harvest index were investigated by simulating selection using data from random pedigreed F₂, F₃, F₄ and F₅ derived lines from two crosses grown in plots at two sites over two years.Improvement in yield through selection was obtained when the response was measured at the same site and in the same year as the selection. Selecting the best 10 per cent of F₂ to F₄ derived lines gave F₅ derived lines that outyielded random selections by 19 to 53 per cent for one cross and 5 to 23 per cent for the second cross. These lines were 41 to 50 per cent better than the mid-parent in one cross, but were less than the mid-parent in the other cross.However, the response to selection when measured in a different year was little better than random selection. The effect of different sites also reduced the effectiveness of selection.Selection of harvest index in early generations for improvement of yield was ineffective when response was measured at the same site in the same year, or in different years.Contrary to some theoretical proposals, the same improvement in yield was obtained by selecting in early or late generations. While high yielding genotypes may be lost by delaying selection, this is counteracted by the better predictive value of late generations due to their greater homozygosity and homogeneity.     

小麦白粉菌寄主范围研究初报

人工接种及田间调查的结果表明，采自河南和陕西的小麦白粉菌系能正常地侵染７属２３种禾本科植物。其中有６属１１种禾草为国内首次报道的该菌寄主。连同前人的研究，目前发现的我国小麦白偻菌寄主植物已达１０属３１种。从小麦属各植物材料对小麦白粉菌的感染情况，进一步支持了小麦属的现代分类理论。     

Intrinsic earliness and basic development rate assessed for their response to temperature in wheat

The related concepts of basic vegetative period, intrinsic earliness and basic development rate in wheat are examined. These concepts have the common assumption that, if plants are vernalised fully and then grown at long daylength in order to remove any responses to vernalisation and photoperiod, the calendar or thermal time then taken to anthesis will be a characteristic of a genotype that will be heritable. Thus, regardless of temperature, early genotypes will always be earlier than late genotypes (providing there are no vernalisation and photoperiod responses).Using four genotypes, exposed to 50 days of vernalisation, and then grown at 18 h photoperiod under six temperature regimes ranging between 10 and 25°C, it is shown that; (1) no genotype had an absolute basic period as, depending on temperature, durations to anthesis for any one genotype varied by more than 50 days; (2) no genotype had an absolute value for intrinsic earliness (to anthesis), ranging for any genotype by more than 300°Cd depending on temperature; (3) basic development rate was not a single value for a genotype but varied with stage of development; (4) some genotypes changed their ranking for earliness depending on the temperature regime; and (5) genotypes were differentially sensitive to temperature for the subphases prior to anthesis.     

Genetic analysis of karnal bunt resistance in 14 Mexican bread-wheat genotypes

Fourteen Mexican genotypes of bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) with good to moderate levels of resistance to Karnal bunt (Tilletia indica (Mitra)) were crossed with the highly susceptible cultivar WL711 to determine the genetic basis of resistance. The parents, F₁ F₂ and backcross populations of the 14 crosses were evaluated under artificial epiphytotic conditions during the 1993–94 season for Karnal bunt resistance. The F₁ data suggested that the resistance was dominant to partially dominant over susceptibility. The F₂ analysis of the segregation ratios in the F₂ and backcross generations indicated that the resistance in the wheat genotypes Luan, Attila, Vee #7/Bow, Star, Weaver, Milan, Sasia and Turacio/Chil is controlled by two genes. The resistance in genotypes Cettia, Irena, Turaco, Opata, Picus, and Yaco was found to be conditioned by a single dominant gene. The genotypes with two genes for resistance expressed a higher level of resistance than those with a single gene and, therefore, are better sources of resistance to Karnal bunt.     

Genetics of adult plant stripe rust resistance in four Australian wheats and the French cultivar 'Hybride-de-Bersée'

Long-term resistance to rust diseases depends on the identification and use of durable resistance sources or on the continuing use of new resistances and combinations of genes for specific resistance. These studies include four Australian wheats with intermediate, but inadequate levels of resistance and a French wheat ‘Hybride-de-Bersée’ (‘Bersee’), with reputed durable resistance to stripe rust. Studies of F₂ and F₃ populations from crosses with the susceptible ‘Avocet’ indicated that intermediate levels of adult plant stripe rust resistance in cultivars ‘Harrier’, ‘Flinders’ and ‘M2435’ were inherited monogenically, whereas King possessed two genes for resistance. Cultivars Harrier and M2435 possessed the same gene. Similarly, cvs. King and Flinders carried a gene in common. Like ‘Harrier’ and ‘M2435’, ‘King’ and ‘Flinders’ share common parents. The higher level of resistance in ‘Bersee’ was controlled by four genes. This conclusion was based on conventional genetic analysis, tests on F₂-derived F₇ single-seed descent lines and testcross progenies.     

Use of the gene pools of Triticum turgidum ssp. dicoccoides and Aegilops squarrosa for the breeding of common wheat (T. aestivum), through chromosome-doubled hybrids

Summary Triticum turgidum ssp. dicoccoides (wild emmer wheat, AABB, 2n=28) and Aegilops squarrosa (goat grass, DD, 2n=14) comprise a rich reservoir of valuable genetic material, which could be useful for the breeding of common wheat (T. aestivum, AABBDD, 2n=42). Many accessions of both wild species, most of them selected for resistance to stripe rust, were used to make amphiploids. Two strategies were applied: (1) the production of autopolyploid cytotypes of the wild species, followed by hybridisation, and (2) the production of allotriploid interspecific hybrids, followed by doubling of the number of chromosomes. The first route was unsuccessful because of failure of the crosses between the autopolyploid cytotypes, possibly due to incongruity between the two species and to reduced fertility in the autopolyploid cytotypes. The second route yielded the desired synthetic hexaploids. However, the rate of success of the crosses was low and there were great differences between years, and within years between crosses. Embryo rescue was applied to obtain the primary hybrids (2n=21), which were highly sterile and had on average 0.3 bivalents and 20.4 univalents per pollen mother cell. Various abnormalities were recorded. Doubling of the number of chromosomes sometimes occurred spontaneously or was brought about by colchicine treatment. The large scale of the interspecific hybridisation programme ensured that one-third of the female and one-sixth of the male accessions were represented in the synthetic hexaploids.     

Effects of Hordeum chilense and Triticum Cytoplasms on Agronomical Traits in Hexaploid Tritordeum

The genome of Tritordeum, AABBH^chH^ch, was substituted into the cytoplasms of Triticum aestivum, T. turgidum and Hordeum chilense by repeated back-crossing to produce alloplasmic lines. This substitution did not greatly affect the characters studied, except yield per plot and fertile ears per plant, which were lower on T. turgidum cytoplasm. Cytoplasm from either H. chilense or T. aestivum could be used for breeding tritordeum.     

Variation of resistance to Pseudocercosporella herpotrichoides (Fron) Deighton in wheat genotypes carrying the gene Pch-1

The effect of the gene Pch-1 on the resistance of wheat to Pseudocercosporella herpotrichoides was studied at four growth stages. The germplasm used consisted of adapted cultivars, genotypes provided by European plant breeders, near-homozygous lines and double haploid lines developed from our own breeding projects. The resistance was measured by ELISA. At all growth stages, genotypes carrying Pch-1 differed significantly in resistance. At early growth stages, there was a strong effect of the gene in most genotypes, but later the effect decreased and significant genotypes-environment interactions appeared. In addition, minor genes became more important and determined the level of adult plant resistance that proved to be inherited quantitatively. Pch-1 was of minor importance for this type of resistance. It is concluded that a high and long-lasting resistance level could be attained if the two genetically different sources of resistance were combined (resistance at juvenile stages, induced by Pch-1, and quantitative resistance at adult stages).     

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.