INTROGRESSION OF SALT-TOLERANCE GENES FROM THINOPYRUM-BESSARABICUM INTO WHEAT

Salt-affected soil is a major problem and has led to large areas of th e earth's surface being unable to support agriculture. Wheat is not to lerant to high levels of salt; however, a number of its wild relatives , in particular Thinopyrum bessarabicum Savul. and Rayss, which grows on the Black Sea shore in the Crimea, are tolerant to high levels of N aCl. Thus the introgression of genes conferring salt tolerance from Th . bessarabicum into Triticum aestivum is one way in which salt-toleran t wheat varieties can be produced. This paper reviews the progress mad e in developing salt-tolerant wheat carrying Th. bessarabicum genes an d salt-tolerant wheat/Th. bessarabicum amphiploids.