Genetic variability of preharvest sprouting - the South African situation

Preharvest sprouting resistance is a major breeding criterion in many regions. Screening for preharvest sprouting tolerance is difficult owing to the low heritability of the trait and its tendency to be expressed as a quantitatively inherited character. The screening procedure used currently at the ARC-Small Grain Institute is designed to assess variation of sprouting in intact heads. Five winter wheat cultivars were crossed in a complete diallel fashion. The objectives of the study were to determine the genetic variability of sprouting resistance in the progeny of five winter wheat cultivars, including Elands, a cultivar with excellent sprouting resistance. The preharvest sprouting response and alpha-amylase activity of these cultivars and their ensuing progeny were compared. Elands was identified as contributing positively towards preharvest sprouting tolerance in various combinations. Elands also had the best overall combining ability for the improvement of sprouting tolerance.