Wild Triticeae relatives as a genetic resource for anthocyanin content in wheat grains

                                                                                                             Alexandru Dumitru

NARDI Fundulea

Keywords: synthetic amphiploids, anthocyanins, colored wheat.

 Abstract: Wheat wild relatives can be successfully exploited in breeding programs not only for   improving resistance to biotic and abiotic stress factors, but also for genes involved in the synthesis of anthocyanins. Due to their antioxidant activity, anthocyanins are contributing to the prevention of diseases associated with oxidative stress.
Purple wheat contains anthocyanins in the pericarp. The purple pericarp character is controlled by three dominant alleles: Pp-B1 (on chromosome 7B of Tr. durum Desf., 7S of Ae. speltoides Tausch.), Pp-D1 (7D, Tr. aestivum L.) and Pp3 (2A, Tr. aestivum L.). Blue wheat contains anthocyanins in the aleurone layer. This trait has been observed in species belonging to Aegilops, Triticum, Thinopyrum and Secale genera. The blue aleurone trait is controlled by genes from different wild relatives: Ba1 (a dominant gene from Thinopyrum ponticum (Podp.) Barkworth & D.R. Dewey), Ba2 (a semi-dominant gene from Tr. monococcum L./Tr. boeoticum Boiss.) and BaThb (a dominant gene from Th. bessarabicum (Săvul. & Rayss) Á.Löve).
At NARDI Fundulea, two synthetic amphiploids characterized by blue and purple grains were developed. The blue-grained synthetic amphiploid was obtained by crossing durum wheat variety Condur with Triticum monococcum ssp. boeoticum Boiss., while the synthetic amphiploid with purple grains was obtained by crossing durum wheat variety Agedur with Triticum urartu L.. Following the hybridization, caryopses with different degrees of pigmentation were identified and individual selection and seed multiplication stages were performed for the lines of interest.

In conclusion, the biochemical composition of wheat can be improved through the use of wild species and the introgression of genes involved in the anthocyanin synthesis. Thus, in a constantly developing world, obtaining varieties of colored wheat with functional health benefits is a new desideratum in breeding.