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.