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Evaluation of a semi‐controlled test as a selection tool for frost tolerance in durum wheat ( T riticum durum )
Author(s) -
Sieber AlisaNaomi,
Würschum Tobias,
Longin Carl Friedrich Horst
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
plant breeding
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.583
H-Index - 71
eISSN - 1439-0523
pISSN - 0179-9541
DOI - 10.1111/pbr.12181
Subject(s) - frost (temperature) , hardiness (plants) , biology , agronomy , limiting , freezing tolerance , winter wheat , horticulture , cultivar , engineering , geography , mechanical engineering , biochemistry , meteorology , gene
Most durum wheat ( T riticum durum ) varieties possess only low winter hardiness due to their frost susceptibility. In N orth A merica and C entral E urope, durum wheat is therefore typically sown in spring to circumvent the local winter conditions. However, the yield potential of durum in these regions could be much better exploited if durum varieties with increased frost tolerance were available, which could be sown in autumn. A factor limiting breeding for increased frost tolerance is the variation in the occurrence of frost stress across years. The ‘ W eihenstephaner A uswinterungsanlage’ is a semi‐controlled test that exposes the plants to all weather conditions. Snow coverage of the plants, serving as frost protection, is prevented by the movable glass lid of the semi‐controlled test. In this study, different scorings for frost tolerance based on this semi‐controlled test were evaluated and compared with frost tolerance data in the field. Our results illustrate the potential of the ‘ W eihenstephaner A uswinterungsanlage’ as an indirect selection tool for frost tolerance in durum breeding programmes, especially when regular frost tolerance data from the field are not available.