Introgression of pre-harvest sprouting resistance from hexaploid wheat into high yielding durum wheat germplasm

Pre-harvest sprouting (PHS) is a critical factor affecting wheat producing regions characterized by rainfall and high humidity combined with cool temperatures at harvest. This phenomenon is particularly important in durum wheat (Triticum durum L.), which is generally susceptible to PHS, in contrast to common wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) which expresses better resistance. The transfer of PHS from hexaploid common wheat into tetraploid durum wheat germplasm is one option for genetic improvement, because the two species share two related sub-genomes. In the present study, through interspecific hybridization and modified backcross approaches, we developed experimental durum lines that showed greater PHS resistance than the recurrent durum wheat parent, with some expressing better PHS performance than the resistant common wheat donor. The introgression of PHS resistance did not negatively impact additional traits in the durum background and several backcross derived experimental lines expressed superior grain yield related and quality traits when compared with the recurrent parent. These lines represent a promising genetic resource for the development of new sprouting resistant durum wheat cultivars. Our results demonstrate that PHS resistance can be transferred from common wheat to improve PHS of durum wheat germplasm.