Creation and study of emmer (Triticum dicoccum) × triticale hybrids

Triticale (× Triticosecale Wittmack) is of great interest as an insurance crop that can ensure the stability of the gross harvest of feed and food grains at a lower cost. In Western Siberia, only winter triticale varieties are cultivated, however, spring triticales are important for cultivation in regions not suitable for winter crops. To create spring varieties with high yields and good grain quality, it is necessary to study and enrich the gene pool, identify donors of economically valuable traits. One of the possible ways to solve this problem can be through the production of secondary hexaploid triticales with the involvement of the tetraploid wild-growing species of emmer wheat Triticum dicoccum (Schrank) Schuebl. The aim of this work was to create and study hybrids of emmer T. dicoccum (Schrank) Schuebl. with hexaploid triticale using genomic in situ hybridization for staining of meiotic chromosomes and analysis of plant productivity elements in F4-F8. DT4, DT5, DT6 plants and the prebreeding F6 forms obtained from them - DT 4/168, DT 5/176 and DT 6/186 - were selected according to the characteristics of the productivity and the nature of the grain in the F4 hybrid population. The offspring of hybrids DT4 and DT5 and prebreeding forms DT 4/168 and DT 5/176 had an increased grain nature (over 750 g/l), but low productivity. The hybrid DT6 and the breeding form DT 6/186 obtained from it had high grain productivity (785 ± 41 and 822 ± 74 g/m2, respectively), but, like the paternal form of triticale UK 30/33, had a reduced nature of the grain. In F8 DT 6/186 plants, 7 homologous pairs of rye chromosomes and from 27 to 30 wheat chromosomes were found in meiosis, which indicates the presence of a complete rye genome and two wheat ААВВ genomes. Rye chromosomes showed stable formation of bivalents in contrast to wheat chromosomes, which caused the presence of aneuploids in plant populations. Thus, hexaploid forms DT 4/168 and DT 5/176 with well-made smooth grain and high grain size were obtained, which can be used as a source of this trait for selection of food-grade triticale. DT 6/186 is a promising form for further breeding in order to obtain high-yielding forms of triticale.

Raise and characterization of a bread wheat hybrid line (Tulaykovskaya 10 × Saratovskaya 29) with chromosome 6Agi2 introgressed from Thinopyrum intermedium

Wheatgrass Thinopyrum intermedium is a source of agronomically valuable traits for common wheat. Partial wheat–wheatgrass amphidiploids and lines with wheatgrass chromosome substitutions are extensively used as intermediates in breeding programs. Line Agis 1 (6Agi2/6D) is present in the cultivar Tulaykovskaya 10 pedigree. Wheatgrass chromosome 6Agi2 carries multiple resistance to fungal diseases in various ecogeographical zones. In this work, we studied the transfer of chromosome 6Agi2 in hybrid populations Saratovskaya 29 × skaya 10 (S29 × T10) and Tulaykovskaya 10 × Saratovskaya 29 (T10 × S29). Chromosome 6Agi2 was identif ied by PCR with chromosome-specif ic primers and by genomic in situ hybridization (GISH). According to molecular data, 6Agi2 was transmitted to nearly half of the plants tested in the F2 and F3 generations. A new breeding line 49-14 (2n = 42) with chromosome pair 6Agi2 was isolated and characterized in T10 × S29 F5 by GISH. According to the results of our f ield experiment in 2020, the line had high productivity traits. The grain weights per plant (10.04 ± 0.93 g) and the number of grains per plant (259.36 ± 22.49) did not differ signif icantly from the parent varieties. The number of grains per spikelet in the main spike was signif icantly higher than in S29 ( p ≤ 0.001) or T10 ( p ≤ 0.05). Plants were characterized by the ability to set 3.77 ± 0.1 grains per spikelet, and this trait varied among individuals from 2.93 to 4.62. The grain protein content was 17.91 %, and the gluten content, 40.55 %. According to the screening for fungal disease resistance carried out in the f ield in 2018 and 2020, chromosome 6Agi2 makes plants retain immunity to the West Siberian population of brown rust and to dominant races of stem rust. It also provides medium resistant and medium susceptible types of response to yellow rust. The possibility of using lines/varieties of bread wheat with wheatgrass chromosomes 6Agi2 in breeding in order to increase protein content in the grain, to confer resistance to leaf diseases on plants and to create multif lowered forms is discussed.