Yield and Hard Wheat Quality Attributes in Hard × Soft Red Winter Progeny

Wide genetic distance and proximal adaptation zones of soft (SRW) and hard red winter (HRW) wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.) incite intermarket class hybridization and selection for unique gene combinations. Divergent standards for end‐use quality often repress that incentive. This study was conducted to (i) measure mean performance and genetic variability of agronomic and quality traits for HRW × SRW progeny in the context of HRW wheat improvement and (ii) determine the relative merit of single‐cross vs. backcross population development to attain HRW agronomic and quality standards. ‘Century’ and ‘Mustang’ (HRW) were crossed factorially with ‘Coker 983’ and ‘McNair 1003’ (SRW) as single crosses (SC) and as backcrosses (BC) to the HRW parent. A SC of Century and Mustang provided a HRW control population. Field experiments were conducted in three Oklahoma environments with 45 random F 4:6 lines per population, the four parents, and ‘Cimarron’ (HRW check). Yield performance was generally higher in the HRW × SRW populations compared with Century × Mustang, but consistent decreases were noted for kernel hardness and flour yield. Backcrossing decreased the yield advantage relative to SC populations, but provided substantial improvement in kernel hardness and moderate improvement in flour yield. Sedimentation volume did not improve in the BC population compared with the SC population. Genetic variances were generally homogeneous between SC and BC populations, except for reduced variance in BC populations for certain flour quality traits. These results support efforts to introgress SRW germplasm into HRW wheat improvement programs. The high proportion of interclass progeny similar to the HRW check for preliminary quality indicators would allow intensive selection pressure for actual breadmaking properties in later generations.