THE TRANSFER TO WHEAT AND HOMOEOLOGY OF AN AGROPYRON ELONGATUM CHROMOSOME CARRYING RESISTANCE TO STEM RUST

Abstract

A stem rust resistant wheat-Agropyron derivative obtained from Dr. F. X. Laubscher was crossed and backcrossed to Triticum aestivum L. cv. Marquis to determine the inheritance of its resistance to stem rust. Resistance proved to be carried on an Agropyron chromosome. A substitution line was obtained in which the Agropyron chromosome had replaced wheat chromosome 7D. The Agropyron chromosome compensates well for 7D in both plants and gametes and must, therefore, be homoeologous with the chromosomes of group 7. It is homologous with chromosome 7el1, the Agropyron chromosome carrying leaf rust resistance in Agrus, and it is, therefore, designated 7el2. Like 7el1 it carries a gene that results in a high level of yellow pigment in the flour. The frequent occurrence of genes for rust resistance on Agropyron chromosomes of homoeologous group 7 suggests that they may be related by descent.