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ARS Home » Plains Area » Manhattan, Kansas » Center for Grain and Animal Health Research » Hard Winter Wheat Genetics Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #310416
Title: Genetic variation for heat tolerance in primitive cultivated subspecies of Triticum turgidum L

Author
item Fu, Jianming
item Bowden, Robert
item PRASAD, VARA P.V. - Kansas State University
item IBRAHIM, AMIR - Texas A&M University

Submitted to: Journal of Crop Improvement
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/8/2015
Publication Date: 8/14/2015
Citation: Fu, J., Bowden, R.L., Prasad, V., Ibrahim, A. 2015. Genetic variation for heat tolerance in primitive cultivated subspecies of Triticum turgidum L. Journal of Crop Improvement. 29:565-580. DOI: 10.1080/15427528.2015.1060915.

Interpretive Summary: Compared to many other crops, wheat is very susceptible to high temperature stress during the grain filling period. Heat stress is currently one of the biggest constraints on wheat yields in the Great Plains Region of the US. The problem is expected to get worse as atmospheric carbon dioxide levels increase. The goal of this study was to investigate the variation for heat tolerance in primitive cultivated subspecies of tetraploid (emmer or durum) wheat. Thirty-eight wheat lines belonging to five subspecies collected from nineteen countries were studied for heat tolerance in controlled environments. Several lines with tolerance to high temperature stress were identified. These will be useful to breeding programs for the improvement of heat tolerance in wheat.

Technical Abstract: High temperature is a major constraint for the productivity of crops worldwide. Wheat is particularly vulnerable to high temperature compared to other crops. The principal way to mitigate heat damage is to develop heat tolerant varieties by identifying heat tolerant lines and then employing the tolerant lines in breeding programs. The objectives of this study were to investigate the genotypic variation for heat tolerance in primitive cultivated subspecies of tetraploid wheat Triticum turgidum L. (AABB genome) and to identify heat tolerant genotypes. Thirty-eight tetraploid wheat accessions belonging to five subspecies collected from nineteen countries were studied for heat tolerance in controlled environments. Grain yield components and chlorophyll degradation rate were measured. Several accessions tolerant to high temperature stress were identified. These selected accessions will be useful to breeding programs for the improvement of heat tolerance in tetraploid or hexaploid wheat.