Karyotype and Ideogram Analyses of Four Wheatgrass Cultivars for Use in Perennial Wheat Breeding

ABSTRACT

The development of perennial wheat cultivars in the Pacific Northwest (PNW) region of the U.S. addresses the need for alternative cropping systems that reduce soil erosion and degradation from mechanical tillage. Selection of parental lines will be especially important for breeding perennial wheat. Here we describe the karyotypes of three cultivars of bluebunch wheatgrass, Pseudoroegnaria spicata [Pursh] A. Love, and one cultivar of Snake River wheatgrass, Elymus wawawaiensis. These four cultivars are wild relatives of wheat that are adapted to the low rainfall regions of the PNW and can be crossed with bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) using traditional breeding methods. Chromosome number, arm ratio, relative length and centromere index are given for Ps. spicata cultivars ‘Whitmar’ (ssp. inermis), ‘Goldar’ (ssp. spicata), and ‘Anatone’ (ssp. spicata), and the E. wawawaiensis cultivar ‘Secar’.

KEYWORDS:

• Bluebunch wheatgrass
• chromosome morphology
• ideogram
• karyotype
• perennial wheat
• Pseudoroegnaria
• Elymus