Location: Wheat Health, Genetics, and Quality Research
Project Number: 2090-21000-039-010-S
Project Type: Non-Assistance Cooperative Agreement
Start Date: Aug 1, 2023
End Date: Jul 31, 2028
Objective:
The ARS-WHEAT HEALTH, GENETICS AND QUALITY RESEARCH UNIT and WASHINGTON STATE UNIVERSITY are collaborating to generate novel wide crosses in soft white wheat, and to conduct rapid generation advance breeding in wheat.
Specific Objectives are to
1. Develop new populations from direct crosses between Aegilops tauschii and hexaploid wheat.
2. Rapidly advance these new populations and other soft white wheat populations using rapid generation advance techniques.
Approach:
Initial crosses and germplasm advance will be conducted at the WSU Plant Growth Facility. The ARS will emasculate the wheat flower prior to anthesis and pollinate with Aegilops tauschii to develop amphiploids. The COOPERATOR will conduct embryo rescue on F1 progeny. ARS will backcross amphiploids to hexaploid wheat to develop novel soft white wheat germplasm. Seed that develops on fertile tillers will be evaluated for fertility. Rapid generation advance will be conducted using long day diurnal cycles and increased temperatures during plant growth. Stable germplasm derived from these crosses will be evaluated for disease resistance and nutritional quality by ARS and COOPERATOR. The outcomes of this work will result in novel genetic variation for wheat breeding, especially for soft wheat breeding.
