DISTRIBUTION OF ALLELIC VARIANTS OF HEXAPLOID WHEAT GERMPLASM AT XGWM261 AND PPD-D1 LOCUS

Abstract

Traits like plant height and response to photoperiod are involved in controlling many quality characteristics that breeders look into the desired genotype. Today, climatic changes in traditional wheat growing regions cause day temperature rising and water supply shortening. Exploitation of various semi-dwarfing (Rht) and photoperiod response (Ppd) genes could help the implementation of wheat breeding programs, especially selection of stabile and stress adaptable varieties targeted for different environments. Microsatellite gwm261 is located on Xgwm261 locus, and it is 0.6 cM distant from Rht8 gene on 2DS chromosome, which can also include Ppd1 gen for insensitivity to photoperiod. PCR screening of Croatian and foreign wheat varieties showed prevalence of 192 bp allele at Xgwm261 locus and photoperiod insensitive allele (Ppd-D1a). The results of this research could be useful for more accurate characterization and selection of Croatian wheat cultivars and foreign ones aiming to cross and create new adaptable varieties.

Keywords

• wheat
• allelic variability
• Xgwm261 locus
• Ppd-D1 locus