Intergeneric Hybrids between Aegilops squarrosa and Secale cereale and their Meiotic Chromosome Behaviour

Three hybrid plants with different combinations of D and R genomes were produced from crosses between Aegilops squarrosa (2×: and 4×) and Secale cereale (2× and 4×) using embryo culture. Production frequencies of mature hybrids, having the genomes DR, DDR and DDRR, were 2.0%, 5.2% and 2.2 %, respectively, of florets pollinated. Amphidiploids were obtained directly from the cross between tetraploid parents. The majority of their morphological features were intermediate between those of the parents but, as with rye, the rachis was tough. Diploid and triploid hybrids were completely seed-sterile, whereas the amphidiploid had an average self-fertility of 4.5 % with a range of 0 to 45 %. The somatic chromosome numbers of diploids, triploids and amphidiploids were 2n = 14, 21 and 28, respectively. At meiotic metaphase I, the mean chromosome associations were 0.01 III + 0.26 II + 13.4 I in diploids, 6.96 II + 7.1 I in triploids, and 10.5 II + 7.9 I in amphidiploids. In diploids, pairing between D and R chromosomes was observed in the form of end-to-end types without chiasmata. Homologous pairing between D chromosomes was predominant in plants having two sets of D genomes. Amphidiploids showed a diploid-like chromosome behaviour. Homoeologous pairing was not observed in either triploids or amphidiploids.     

The Identification of a Gibberellic-Acid-Insensitive Gene in Secale cereale*

Among 16 dwarfing genes identified in wheat (Triticum aestiuvm L. em Thell.), four are known to be associated with insensitivity to the externally-supplied growth hormone gibberellin (GA). Rht1 and Rht2 (Reduced height 1 and 2, respectively) have been the most extensively used, because of their positive effect on yield. To increase the germplasm pool for dwarfism, a spring rye (Secale cereale) population (UC-90, CI-174) was selected because it contains high variability and any useful genes would benefit triticale and wheat as well. Seedlings of the CI-174 rye population were treated with 50 ppm of GA to identify any insensitive types. GA-insensitive and -sensitive seedlings were identified and, after three generations of selfing, GA-insensitive and -sensitive lines were fixed. Rye insensitive was crossed to a sensitive wheat and to rye and, reciprocally, insensitive wheat was crossed to sensitive rye. The results indicated that a GA-insensitivity dwarfism system similar to that originally found in wheat also operates in rye and appears to be under simple inheritance. Rye GA-insensitivity was expressed in triticale. Therefore, it is possible to transfer this new source of insensitivity and dwarfism into triticale and wheat.     

Androgenetic green plants from winter rye, Secale cereale L., of diverse origin

Twenty varieties and breeders’ lines of winter rye, Secale cereale L., including Finnish, Polish, Russian, Swedish and Danish germplasm, were tested for their anther culture ability. To establish a reference point, the initial culture method was based on published results from rye anther culture. Following results from methodological studies, a modified protocol was tested on the same 19 winter rye lines. The modifications to the protocol included growth of mother plants under controlled greenhouse conditions, prolonged cold pretreatment of spikes for 3 weeks at 4°C, excision of anthers with microspores in the late uninucleate/binucleate developmental stage and induction on liquid medium supplemented with a buoyancy increasing component, Ficoll. With the modified protocol, the total production of green androgenetic plants increased nearly fivefold; it reached an average of 2.75% with the best line yielding 12.5%, while the proportion of green to albino plants increased by 50% to 25.1%. Eighteen rye lines showed green plant regeneration ability. Several genetically different winter rye lines with relatively good anther culture ability, yielding ≤ 1/% green plants per 100 anthers, were identified for the use in further methodical studies and for researching doubled haploidy in rye breeding.     

Histological studies on the infection of triticale,wheat and rye byPuccinia recondita f.sp.tritici andP. recondita f.sp.recondita

Summary The reaction of eight triticales and of the respective wheat and rye parental lines to infection by the leaf rust fungi of wheat and rye were studied in the seedling stage. The histological observations indicated that wheat and triticale showed a typical nonhost reaction to the leaf rust of rye: sporelings of this fungus were arrested after the formation of primary infection hyphae and before the formation of extensively branched mycelium, mostly without necrosis of plant cells. The rye inbred lines were all susceptible to the rye leaf rust. The reaction of wheat and triticales to the wheat leaf rust was susceptible or resistant. The reaction of resistant lines could be early or late and complete or incomplete, but was associated with substantial necrosis of plant cells, and therefore entirely different from the nonhost reaction to rye leaf rust. In their reaction to wheat leaf rust the rye lines were similar to the resistant wheat and triticale lines. They did not show an important degree of nonhypersensitive early abortion as would be expected in a nonhost species. It appeared that genes for hypersensitive resistance in triticale may be contributed by either the wheat or the rye parental line.A screening of sixty wheat, rye and triticale lines confirmed the nonhost status of wheat and triticale to rye leaf rust and the hypersensitive or moderately susceptible reaction of rye to wheat leaf rust.     

Genetic suppression of the cereal rye-derived gene Pm8 in wheat

The location of wheat gene Pm8 for resistance to powdery mildew in the 1RS chromosome segment derived from cereal rye cultivar Petkus was confirmed. There was reduced transmission of the 1BL.1RS chromosome relative to its wheat homologue in four of the five crosses examined. Pm8 was not expressed in some wheat cultivars and selections which possessed the 1RS chromosome identified by the presence of relevant genes for resistance to the three rusts, due to the presence of a dominant suppressor gene(s) in the wheat genome. The frequency of suppression in 1BL.1RS wheats from Mexico was significantly higher than in a group of wheats (both local and exotic) introduced from China and was probably much higher than in European wheats. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

A comparative analysis of the genetic relationships between rye cultivars using RFLP and RAPD markers

Summary The genetic similarities of eight closely related rye cultivars were estimated using two molecular marking techniques: restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) and random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD). Cultivars were evaluated for variation by 11 random cDNA and genomic clones used in combination with four restriction enzymes and 40 decamer primers. A total of 53 polymorphic RFLP fragments and 94 polymorphic RAPD fragments were observed. Based on the presence/absence of fragments, two genetic similarity matrices were calculated which were then used in cluster analysis. Differences between pair of cultivars were observed in RFLP and RAPD dendrograms. RFLP analysis produced estimates of genetic relationships more in accordance with the partially known pedigree of the cultivars than did RAPD analysis. The use of bulk samples of DNA in these analyses affected the sensitivity of RAPD assays more strongly. Dendrograms which took into account all fragments produced, either by RFLP or RAPD, reflected better the relationships between cultivars than did dendrograms based on only one type of marker. This reflects the importance of the number of markers used in determining the genetic relationships between genotypes.     

Alien introgression of spring habit dominant genes into bread wheat

Summary Alien dominant genes of spring habit were introgressed into bread wheat. The introgression was undertaken by simple crossing of winter bread wheat to related spring species or genera, followed by backcrossing to winter bread wheat, and did not involve the use of the ph mutants or embryo culture. The introgressed genes were located mostly on chromosomes of homoeologous group 5, and were allelic to the known Vrn genes in bread wheat. Nevertheless three groups of lines were discovered with the genes possibly located on other chromosomes. These genes were non-allelic to each other and to known Vrn genes and were designated Vrn6 ^Sc , Vrn7 ^Sc (introgressed from Secale cereale) and Vrn8 ^Ts (from Triticum sphaerococcum).     

Plant regeneration from immature inflorescence callus cultures of wheat,rye and triticale

Summary Callus cultures were initiated from inflorescence explants of wheat, rye and triticale on MS medium supplemented with 2 mgl^-1 2,4-D+5% CW or 2 mgl^-1 2,4-D+0.5 mgl^-1 BA. On transfer of the cultures to medium supplemented with 15% CW+0.2 mgl^-1 NAA or 1 mgl^-1 BA+0.1 mgl^-1 IAA, shoot buds and embryoids were produced. Full fledged plantlets obtained on MS medium supplemented with NAA were transferred to the field. Cytological analysis showed the plants to be diploid. However, the regenerated plantlets were shorter, produced fewer tillers and had lower fertility compared to the control.Abbreviations BA Benzyladenine - CW coconut water - IAA indoleacetic acid - NAA -naphthaleneacetic acid - 2,4-D 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid     

Crossability of tetraploid and hexaploid wheats with ryes for primary triticale production

Summary Crossability of wheat and rye was investigated during thirteen crop cycles in two contrasting locations to 1) evaluate tetraploid and hexaploid wheat parents in crosses with rye, 2) identify genotypes with high crossability and 3) assess the impact of environment on seed development. The majority of the tetraploid wheats crossed with rye had seed set around 20%, but very low embryo viability. Several wheat genotypes with seed set above 50% were identified. The hexaploid wheats crossed with rye showed poor seed set, but plant recovery was relatively high. The majority of the hexaploid wheats with highest seed set (20–30%) were from China. The results suggest differences in crossability between the rye populations, and wheat species by rye interactions. The crossability of the tetraploid and hexaploid wheats was affected by climate in the two locations.     

Sequential combinations of C-banding and in situ hybridization and their use in the detection of interspecific introgressions into wheat

Summary The sequential combination of C-banding and in situ hybridization techniques applied in this or in a reverse order, are used to recognize targeted chromosomal regions in cereals. Both methods are described whereby standard chromosome squash preparations are followed by: i) C-banding technique using Leishman stain and a slightly modified in situ hybridization technique using biotin-labeled DNA probes, or ii) fluorescence in situ hybridization technique and C-banding. Both approaches have been successfully used onto mitotic chromosomes of rye and wheat resulting suitable for both their identification and detection of targeted sites.