Desirable characteristics in perennial Triticeae collected in China for wheat improvement

Abstract

Perennial Triticeae in China contain an enormous gene pool that has a great potential for wheat improvement. Collecting expeditions to 12 provinces of Northern China have been carried out. It has been found that most collections of Agropyron mongolicum, A. cristatum, A. desertorum, and Leymus chinensis, h. secalinus are drought tolerant, and that some collections of Hordeum brevisubulatum, Leymus chinensis are tolerant to saline-alkali soil. 448 accessions of perennial Triticeae were screened for resistance to powdery mildew, 248 accessions and 93 accessions were screened for resistance to BYDV strains PAV and RPV, respecitvely, and some species resistant to the diseases were found. A brief description of utilization of perennial Triticeae for wheat improvement in China is given in this paper.