Use of triticum tauschii to improve yield of wheat in low-yielding environments
Date
2002
Authors
Gororo, N.
Eagles, H.
Eastwood, R.
Nicolas, M.
Flood, R.
Editors
Advisors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Type:
Journal article
Citation
Euphytica: international journal on plant breeding, 2002; 123(2):241-254
Statement of Responsibility
N.N. Gororo, H.A. Eagles, R.F. Eastwood, M.E. Nicolas and R.G. Flood
Conference Name
Abstract
Triticum tauschii (Coss.) Schmal. is an ancestor of bread wheat (T. aestivum). This species has been widely used as a source of simply-inherited traits, but there are few reports of yield increases due to introgression 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 diverse environments in southern Australia. Re-selections were made in the F₆ generation and evaluated for grain yield, yield components including grain weight, and grain growth characters in diverse environments in southern Australia and north-western Mexico. Re-selection was effective in identifying lines which were higher yielding than the recurrent parent, except in full-irrigation environments. Grain yields of the selected derivatives were highest relative to the recurrent parent in the lowest-yielding environments, which experienced terminal moisture deficit and 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.