Semi-dwarfing alleles in Canadian wheat cultivars result in shorter coleoptiles but exceptions exist

Farmers would benefit from longer coleoptile wheat cultivars for deeper seeding during dry conditions. Three sets of hexaploid wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and two tetraploid wheat [Triticum turgidum L. subsp. durum (Desf.) Husn] genotypes were screened for coleoptile length. Winter wheat coleoptile length ranged from 6.6 to 9.7cm, and spring wheat coleoptile length ranged from 5.2 to 10.8cm. Rht8, Rht13 and Rht18 wheat genotypes ranged from 8.5 to 11.8cm. There was a significant, positive relationship between tall plant height and longer coleoptile length, but some semi-dwarf spring wheat cultivars had long coleoptile length (>9cm).