Alloplasmic wheat – Elymus ciliaris chromosome addition lines

Abstract

Alloplasmic euploid wheat with the cytoplasm of Elymus ciliaris (2n = 4x = 28, ScScYcYc) is male sterile and has reduced vigor. However, alloplasmic plants with E. ciliaris chromosomes 1Sc or 1Yc marked by gliadin genes Gli-Sc1 and Gli-Ycl, respectively, are vigorous and fertile. The Rf genes on 1Sc and 1Yc are named Rf-Sc1 and Rf-Yc1. Two chromosome translocations involving 1Yc were isolated. The first involved the short arm of 1Yc translocated to the short arm of wheat chromosome 3B. The second involved the short arm of 1Yc translocated to the short arm of a chromosome, designated L, of E. ciliaris. The second line also has another E. ciliaris chromosome designated A and lacks wheat chromosome 6A. This line is resistant to Puccinia recondita. The relationship between fertility restoration and nucleolar organizing regions is discussed. Key words : Triticum aestivum, Elymus ciliaris, chromosome addition, Rf genes, nucleolar organizing regions.