Implications of emmer (Triticum dicoccon Schrank) introgression on bread wheat response to heat stress

Wheat is sensitive to heat stress, particularly during grain filling, and this reduces grain yield. Ancestral wheat species, such as emmer wheat (Triticum dicoccon Schrank), represent potential sources of new genetic diversity for traits that may impact wheat responses to heat stress. However, the diversity available in emmer wheat has only been explored superficially. Recently developed emmer derived hexaploid wheat genotypes were evaluated for physiological, phenological and agronomic traits in a multi-environment, multi-season strategy. The emmer-based hexaploid lines were developed from crosses and backcrosses to 9 hexaploid recurrent parents and these genotypes and 7 commercial cultivars were evaluated under two times of sowing (E1 and E2) in the field for three consecutive years (2014-2016). The materials were genotyped using a 90 K SNP platform and these data used to estimate the contribution of emmer wheat to the progeny. Significant phenotypic and genetic variation for traits were observed. Higher temperature during reproductive development and grain filling reduced trait expression. Emmer progeny with greater trait values than their recurrent parents and commercial cultivars in both environments were found. Derivatives with higher physiological trait values yielded well in both environments; as indicated by the clustering of genotypes. The emmer wheat parent contributed between 1 and 43 % of the genome of the emmer-based hexaploid progeny, and progeny with greater emmer contribution had superior trait values in both environments. These results showed a positive effect of direct emmer introgression on wheat performance under heat stress. Mitigation of high temperature stress through the introgression of favorable alleles from wheat close relatives into modern wheat cultivars is possible.