Plant Breeding Department, G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar, 263 145, India
2Address for Correspondence: Botany Department, ANU, Canberra, ACT, 2600
3 Present Address Faculty of Agriculture, Fatah University, Tripoli (Libeya)
1 Part of M.Sc. thesis submitted to G B.P.U.A.T., Pantnagar, India.
Twelve hexaploid triticales were crossed with two different rye populations to produce tetraploid as well as secondary hexaploid triticales. The seed set in these crosses ranged from 0.34 to 16.13 per cent indicating low level of crossability, These nearly sterile hybrids set more seeds on open pollination than on selling. However, seed set improved in subsequent selfed generations. Two theoretical schemes are proposed to explain the increase of genetic variability at tetraploid and hexaploid levels. The role of triticale-rye crosses for broadening the genetic base of triticale is discussed.
