Evaluation of a collection of wild wheat relative Aegilops geniculata Roth and identification of potential sources for useful traits

A collection comprising 157 Aegilops geniculata accessions originating from different ecogeographical regions was established at ENSA-INRA, Montpellier. The accessions were studied for physiological traits related to drought and heat stress and screened for resistance to barley yellow dwarf virus (BYDV) and rusts. Some accessions were also tested for resistance to Hessian fly and cereal cyst nematodes (CCN). The study allowed to distinguish different adaptive strategies to the climatic constraints encountered by Aegilops populations in their region of origin. They led to significant differences in biomass and grain production and should be taken into account in the utilisation of Ae. geniculata germplasm in wheat breeding programs. Two accessions with resistance to BYDV were found. Both originated from South of France. The interest of Ae. geniculata as a source of rust resistance was confirmed and accessions with resistance to the three rusts were identified. High resistance against populations of Heterodera avenae and H. latipons was found in accessions from Spain, Bulgaria, Jordan and Tunisia. Sources of resistance to Hessian fly were also identified.