Maharashtra Association for the Cultivation of Science, Poona-4
The paper presents the results of transference of rust-resistance and other desirable characters of Triticum timopheevi Zhuk. to an Indian strain of T. dicoccum (Khapli). The F1 hybrids of T. dicoccum X T. timopheevi are completely sterile with indehiscent anthers. They show a modal frequency of 13 univalents and 8 bivalents respectively. This sterility was overcome by back-crossing the F, hybrids to T. dicoccum.
Fertility in individual B1 plants in terms of seed/ovule ratio is correlated with the respective frequencies of uni- and multivalents at meiotic metaphase. In order to avoid further loss of limopheevi complement, further backcrossing was discontinued. Selection was attempted in successive generations of individual B1 plants. Recurrent selection for fertility, rust resistance and other desired combinations show very promising possibilities for isolation and fixing of desirable combinations.
Various theoretical considerations governing the transfer of timopheevi genes to cultivated emmer wheats are discussed in brief.
