THE DISTRIBUTION, IN EUROPEAN WINTER WHEATS, OF GENES THAT INFLUENCE ECOCLIMATIC ADAPTABILITY WHILE DETERMINING PHOTOPERIODIC INSENSITIVITY AND PLANT HEIGHT

The adaptability of wheat varieties to precise environmental conditions is known to be influenced to a large extent by photoperiod sensitive genes determining ear emergence time and by the gibberelic acid insensitive dwarfing genes that are regularly used to reduce plant height. A range of European winter wheat varieties were examined to establish whether breeders in different countries have selected genotypes carrying allelic variants of photoperiodic and dwarfing genes that would be expected to provide the best levels of adaptability. In most areas modern cultivars were seen to carry the genotypes predicted to promote good levels of adaptability. Varieties cultivated in Germany however are still predominately of conventional height and late flowering lacking genes that would be expected to enhance adaptability and yield.