A mutation breeding programme for sprouting resistance in bread wheat

Authors

• E. I. Kivi Hankkija Plant Breeding Institute, SF-04300 Hyrylä, Finland
• S. Hovinen Hankkija Plant Breeding Institute, SF-04300 Hyrylä, Finland

DOI: https://doi.org/10.23986/afsci.71924

Abstract

A breeding programme involving 60Co mutagen treatment of the early maturing, hexaploid spring wheat variety Ruso, is described. The initial objective of the breeding work was to improve Ruso’s resistance to sprouting in the ear. Treatment in the moist chamber followed by falling number tests were used for screening the mutants. Several very sprouting resistant but late maturing mutants were found. None the less efforts were made to retain also the earliness of the mother variety in the sprouting resistant mutants. In the generation, there remained four usable early mutant lines showing a clear improvement in sprouting resistance. Two of them, in addition, have remarkably stiff straw, even when compared with the already very lodging resistant mother variety.