Introgression of Useful Agronomic Traits from Barley into Wheat

Crosses between wheat and barley could make it possible to incorporate the earliness, favourable amino acid composition, salt and drought tolerance and good tillering ability of barley into wheat. New wheat/barley addition and translocation lines were developed using winter barley cultivars (Igri, Manas) well adapted to Central European environmental conditions. The flowering time, β-glucan content and salt tolerance of the wheat/barley introgression lines were analysed.

The 7H wheat/barley addition lines were the earliest flowering of  all the Mv9 kr1/Igri and Asakaze/Manas addition lines studied in the phytotron and in the field. The Asakaze/Manas 7H addition line was even earlier than the wheat parent, and the 4H and 6H additions were the latest.

Increased β -glucan content was observed in the Asakaze/Manas 7H addition and the 4BS.7HL translocation line. The HvCslF6 gene was mapped in the centromeric region of 7HL. The salt tolerance of the Asakaze/Manas 7H disomic and 7HL ditelosomic addition lines was better than that of the wheat parent.

The 3HS.3BL wheat/barley translocation was transferred into a modern wheat variety, Mv Bodri. The 3HS.3BL/Mv Bodri line had better tillering and more seeds/plant than MvBodri. The plant height of the translocation line was reduced by the introgression of the RhtD1b gene. Ten new wheat/barley cv. Manas ditelosomic lines have been produced and analysed.

The development of wheat/barley translocation lines from the Mv9kr1/Igri and Asakaze/Manas addition lines is now in progress using the gametocidal system.

This work was supported by OTKA 104382, WHEALBI EU FP7 and TAMOP-4.2.2.A-11-1-KONV-2012-0064 grants.