Segregation distortion following introgression of Thinopyrum ponticum into durum wheat.

Abstract

Segregation distortion (SD) has been observed in a wide variety of organisms, including fungi, plants, insects, and mammals. In plants, genomic regions harboring markers with abnormal segregation ratios have been reported in many crop species, including barley, pearl millet, tomato, rice, maize and wheat. Chromosomes carrying Sd genes have been also identified in several wild wheat relatives and their effect revealed upon hybridization with wheat. The case-study of this research concerns one or more Sd genes present on the long arm of 7Ag (7AgL) chromosome of the wild wheatgrass species Thinopyrum ponticum, which, once transferred in association with desirable genes into wheat chromosomes, negatively affect their segregation and also alter some phenotypic plant traits.