Analysis of the breeding potential of wheat-Agropyron and wheat-Elymus derivatives

Agronomic and quality characteristics were studied in several wheat-Agropyron, wheat-Elymus amphidiploids and wheat-like derivatives from crosses between such amphidiploids and wheat, resulting from breeding efforts elsewhere in the world, aiming at widening the genetic base of cultivated wheats through distant hybridization. The field trials, run at Svalöv and Lund during the years 1980–82, were designed to determine the effects of alien chromosomes on agronomic and quality characteritics of cultivated wheats, before embarking on a breeding programme for the transfer of disease resistance and tolerance to water and salt stresses, from Agropyron and Elymus species to Triticum aestivum. Highly significant differences were detected among the spring types with regard to the analysed agronomic traits. The highly significant environmental genotypic interaction was due to the improved performance of the derivatives over the spring wheat check varieties under favourable environments. The common wheat group outyielded the derivatives' groups, with the exception of the Triticum aestivum X A. intermedium group. The derivative WIR 46008 outyielded the standard winter wheat variety Hildur. Generally the materials showed higher resistance to leaf rust, higher protein and gluten contents and better baking quality than the check varieties.