Utilization of wild and cultivated emmer and of diploid wheat relatives in breeding

Different wheat relatives have contributed greatly towards economic improvement of hexaploid bread wheats. Since its discovery by Aaronsohn in 1906, wild emmer has been widely described and phenotyped for many useful traits such as stripe-rust resistance and high protein. A cultivated emmer landrace, Yaroslav emmer, has contributed durable stem-rust resistance to variety 'Hope', which has become a paramount germplasm for improving resistance to stem rust in bread wheats. Other lines of cultivated emmer, Triticum dicoccum, are being used for improved protein percentage. Recently, following the examples of Yaroslav emmer, the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center, CIMMYT (Centro Internacional De Mejoramiento De Maiz Y Trigo) has embarked on utilization of Aegilops tauschii (DD genome) for resistance to Septoria tritici leaf blotch and Fusarium head scab, drought tolerance, and good bread-making quality traits. Some wild perennial members of the Triticeae genera Leymus and Thinopyrum are additional promising sources for genes conferring head-scab resistance. Important sources tested in breeding for high protein content and end-use quality traits in bread wheat are wild and cultivated diploid wheats that carry the AA genomes.