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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Columbia, Missouri » Plant Genetics Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #109284
Title: RAPID INTRODUCTION OF RYE CHROMOSOMES INTO WHEAT BY CHROMOSOME ENGINEERING AND ANTHER CULTURE

Author
item ZHANG, X - ACAD OF SCI-BEIJING CHINA
item WANG, X - ACAD OF SCI-BEIJING CHINA
item Ross, Kathleen
item HU, H - ACAD OF SCI-BEIJING CHINA
item Gustafson, J

Submitted to: Plant Breeding
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/10/2000
Publication Date: 2/1/2001
Citation: ZHANG, X.Q., WANG, X.P., ROSS, K., HU, H., GUSTAFSON, J.P. RAPID INTRODUCTION OF RYE CHROMOSOMES INTO WHEAT BY CHROMOSOME ENGINEERING AND ANTHER CULTURE. PLANT BREEDING. 2001. V. 120. P. 39-42.

Interpretive Summary: Wheat breeders have been trying to efficiently place chromosomes, chromosome segments, and genes from rye into wheat for many years. In the past, it has taken many crosses and the growing of very large populations over several generations to obtain rye germplasm integrations into wheat that are useful to wheat breeders. The present study was designed to see if a technique utilizing anther culture could speed up the process of integrating rye into wheat. The technique showed that wheats could be produced in two generations from wheat-rye crosses that contained rye genes. A line was established that contained a new source of rye chromosome 6R in a wheat background for use by wheat breeders in variety production. The rye chromosome 6R placed into wheat contained genes for powdery mildew resistance and was moderately resistant to yellow rust. This information will be important to small grain researchers in their attempts to enhance productivity of wheat by incorporating rye chromosome segments, and to other plant scientists who will try to design more efficient crop plants through combinations of classical breeding and/or biotechnology.

Technical Abstract: Powdery mildew (Erysiphe graminis) and yellow rust (Puccinia striiformis) are the two most serious wheat (Triticum aestivum L. em Thell.) diseases found in China. Rye chromosomes, carrying genes for resistance to these diseases, were introduced into common wheat in two generations using chromosome engineering and anther culture. The F1 hybrids from a cross involving a hexaploid triticale (X Triticosecale Wittmack) x 'Chinese Spring' nullisomic-tetrasomic N6DT6A wheat aneuploid line were anther cultured and double-haploid plants were regenerated. Using genomic in-situ hybridization, C-banding, and biochemical marker analysis, one of the doubled-haploid lines was characterized and found to be a 1R addition - 6R(6D) substitution line with four rye chromosomes and 40 wheat chromosomes. The line was tested for expression of disease resistance and found to be highly resistant to powdery mildew and moderately resistant to yellow rust.