Crossability of Some Indian Wheats With Rye

Sixteen aestivum and eight durum Indian wheat cultivars were studied for their cross-ability with diploid rye (Secale cereaie). The two rye types had no significant difference between them for tbeir crossability with wheat. Among the hexaploid wheat cultivars the individuals differed significantly for their crossability with rye. The tall Indian wheat cultivars had, in general, better crossability as compared to semidwarf ones. in this respect cultivar C306 was superior to Chinese Spring, which is known to carry two homozygous recessive loci kr1 kr1 kr2 kr2 governing the highest crossability (50–100%) with rye. The durum wheat cultivars also differed significantly for their crossability with rye. Both the aestivum and durum wheat cultivars could he assigned different crossability genes depending upon their extent of crossability with rye. Significance of such information in triticale improvement is discussed.