The genomic inheritance of aluminum tolerance in 'Atlas 66' wheat

Abstract

Toxicity to aluminum (Al) limits wheat (Triticum aestivum L. em. Thell.) yields. 'Atlas 66', a soft red winter wheat classified as tolerant (root growth ≥ 0.5 cm after Al stress) to 0.44 mM Al, was hybridized with tetraploid (4x) and hexaploid (6x) 'Canthatch', a hard red spring wheat classified as sensitive (root growth < 0.5 cm after Al stress) to 0.44 mM Al. Progenies produced from these hybridizations were tested for tolerance to 0.44 mM Al in solution to ascertain the number of genes and the genomes of 'Atlas 66', which determine tolerance to aluminum. Tests of 'Atlas 66', 6x-'Canthatch', and the F1's resulting from hybridizations between the parents indicated that dominant, nuclear genes carried by 'Atlas 66' determine tolerance to 0.44 mM Al. Segregation ratios for the F2 significantly differed from ratios expected for a dominant, duplicate genetic mechanism. F1 backcross segregation ratios did not significantly differ from ratios expected for dominant, duplicate nuclear genes for tolerance to aluminum. The expression of genes for tolerance to 0.44 mM Al for 'Atlas 66' appears to be more complex than is predicted by the existence of two dominant genes. A crossing scheme, which involved hybridizing 4x-'Canthatch' with 'Atlas 66', was executed to produce 42-chromosome plants having recombinant A- and B-genome chromosomes and D-genome chromosomes derived exclusively from 'Atlas 66'. Eleven F6 and F7 lines, developed from these plants, were selfed and plants in the F6 generation were backcrossed to 'Atlas 66' and 6x-'Canthatch'. The F6 and F7 lines were subjected to 0.44 mM Al in solution as were the backcrosses. While none of the lines had more than 50% of their seedlings classified as sensitive to Al in the F6 generation, four lines exhibited such a response in the F7 generation. In general, backcrossing the F6 lines to 6x-'Canthatch' increased sensitivity to Al, while backcrossing to 'Atlas 66' increased tolerance. Results suggest that genes for tolerance to Al in 'Atlas 66' wheat are not all located on D-genome chromosomes.Key words: aluminum tolerance, genomic inheritance, Triticum.