Fertility changes of Triticum aestivum x Aegilops cylindrica hybrid by applying gibberellic acid

Hristo Stoyanov, Dragomir Plamenov, Mariana Stoyanova

Abstract: Wide hybridization is an efficient tool for improving the yield from the cultural plants. The wild species Aegilops cylindrica is a practically useful source of valuable genes. This species is characterized with a high degree of crossability to common wheat. At the same time, when involved as a father component in the cross, the obtained hybrid plants possess greater sterility. This cross is also more suitable for practical purposes in the breeding of common wheat. With the aim to increase the fertility and the practical significance of the hybrid Triticum aestivum x Aegilops cylindrica, the effect of gibberellic acid on colchicinated and non-colchicinated plants of the hybrid was studied. The use of both colchicine solution and gibberellic acid did not cause changes in the spike parameters (number of spikelets in spike, length of spike, length of spike with awns, weight of spike) in the investigated plants, which could indirectly affect fertility. Regardless of the variant of treatment, 0 % male fertility was read in all grown plant. On the other hand, grains were formed only in the variant without colchicine and gibberellic acid treatment. The read female fertility was 1.92 %. Regardless of the obtained results, the formed grains are valuable breeding material that can be efficiently used in the breeding of common winter wheat.

Keywords: Aegilops cylindrica; colchicine; common winter wheat; gibberellic acid; wide hybridization

Date published: 2020-03-10