A NEW INTERGENERIC HYBRID BETWEEN TRITICUM-AESTIVUM L AND AGROPYRON-FRAGILE (ROTH) CANDARGY - VARIATION IN A-FRAGILE FOR SUPPRESSION OF THE WHEAT PH-LOCUS ACTIVITY

New intergeneric hybrids were obtained between Triticum aestivum L. cv. 'Fukuho' (2n = 6x = 42, AABBDD) and Agropyron fragile (Roth) Candargy PGR 8097 (2n = 4x = 28, PPPP) at a frequency of 1.06 %, through the use of direct embryo culture and in ovulo embryo culture. Such hybrids could be used to transfer barley yellow dwarf virus (BYDV) resistance and winterhardiness into bread wheat. The somatic chromosome number in all the hybrid plants was 2n = 5x = 35, as expected. Considerable variation in chromosome pairing was observed among the different hybrid plants. Average meiotic chromosome configuration at metaphase I was 17.29 Is + 6.57 rod IIs + 1.97 ring IIs + 0.18 III + 0.03 IV + 0.002 VI. The high level of chromosome pairing in some F1 hybrids was attributed to Ph-suppressor gene(s) present in A. fragile. The hybrids could not be backcrossed to wheat, but amphiploid seeds have been obtained by colchicine treatment.