Synthetic Hexaploid Wheat Novel Sources of Genetic Diversity for 
Wheat (Triticum Aestivum L.) Germplasm Improvement

Alexandru-Leonard Dumitru¹, Daniel Cristina¹, Elena-Laura Conţescu¹, Alina-Gabriela Turcu¹,
Indira Galit¹, Victor Petcu^1,2, Matilda Ciucă¹

¹Institutul Național de Cercetare Dezvoltare Agricolă Fundulea
²Centrul de Studii și Cercetări de Biodiversitate Agrosilvică "Acad. David Davidescu", București

Keywords: wheat, SHW, Aegilops tauschii, molecular markers.

 Abstract: Synthetic hexaploid wheat (SHW) is an artificial reconstitution of hexaploid wheat from its progenitors, tetraploid durum wheat Triticum turgidum ssp. durum L. (AABB genome) and diploid wild goat grass Aegilops tauschii Coss. (DD genome). Over time, the synthetic hexaploid wheat were developed and used as a bridge for gene transfer from these two species into hexaploid bread wheat. The wild relatives of wheat provide a large reservoir of genetic variation for traits such as tolerance to abiotic and biotic stress, quality and yield. This variation can be exploited for the development of new wheat cultivars adapted to climate change and environmentally friendly agricultural practices. Our study aimed to developed SHWs and search for genetic diversity and genetic gain for bread wheat improvement. Thus, by exploiting of the interspecific biodiversity, new resistance genes for a better adaptation to climate change, diseases and genes for functional ingredients in grains are expected to be discovered.
This paper summarizes the development of SHWs, genetic diversity (molecular markers analyses) and perspectives of wheat – SHWs at NARDI Fundulea.
Using SSR and KASP markers, genetic diversity was detected regarding the photosynthetic potential, heat tolerance and diseases resistance (Zymoseptoria tritici, Tilletia spp., etc).
Accordingly, diverse populations such as the SHWs could be used in wheat breeding for abiotic and biotic tolerance, yield and quality.