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Agronomic and Quality Performance of Progeny Lines Derived from Spring Wheat by Durum Wheat Crosses

¹Department of Plant Sciences and Plant Pathology, Montana State University, Bozeman MT 59717. ²Corresponding author. Phone: 406-994-5060. Fax: 406-994-1848. E-mail: usslt@montana.edu.

Hard red spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L. subsp. aestivum) and durum wheat (Triticum turgidum L. subsp. durum (Desf.) Husn) have both been selected for dryland yield potential and high grain protein, although end uses of flour are different. For this study, 14 tetraploid and 10 hexaploid lines were derived from crosses between tetraploid durum wheat and hexaploid hard red spring wheat. Our objective was to determine the impact of genetic exchange between the two classes on agronomic and quality attributes of derived progeny lines. Yield potential of both the tetraploid and hexaploid progeny was lower than the parental types. Polyphenol oxidase levels were higher by almost twofold in the hexaploid group. The tetraploid progeny group had better noodle color than did the hexaploid group. Bread quality of hexaploid group was superior, with loaf volume 362 cm³ higher than that of tetraploid progeny group. In general, the presence of durum wheat genes in the derived hexaploid lines had little impact on most quality traits. The presence or absence of the D genome tended to be the major influence on end use quality traits. Our results suggest that genetic exchange between the two groups has a small effect on end use quality, but low yield potential in the progeny suggests obtaining desirable genetic combinations for plant improvement may be challenging.