The D genome of the Triticeae

Abstract

Twenty interspecific hybrid combinations involving wheat D-genome species were made and their first meiotic metaphase chromosome pairing was observed. Optimum values of the relative affinity of the most closely related genomes were calculated. It is possible to divide the species into three clusters: first, Triticum tauschii, T. aestivum, T. cylindricum, and T. ventricosum, in which the D genome has undergone little modification; second, tetraploid and hexaploid T. crassum in which the D genome is somewhat modified; and third, T. juvenale and T. syriacum, in which the D genome is substantially modified.