GENETIC-RESOURCES OF WHEAT RELATED SPECIES - THE VRN GENES-CONTROLLING GROWTH HABIT (SPRING VS. WINTER) (REPRINTED FROM WHEAT - PROSPECTS FOR GLOBAL IMPROVEMENT, 1998)

Variations in growth habit and its genetic control in landraces of hex a-, tetra-and diploid wheats were studied. Studies demonstrated simple (one, two, or three genes) genetic control of growth habit (spring vs . winter). Triticum aestivum originated from only a part of the gene p ools of the diploid species. Results show the feasibility of transferr ing new Vrn genes from the Sitopsis section of species of the Aegilops genus and the weak allele at the Vrn1 gene from T. dicoccum into cult ivated species. The possibilities of introgressing new Vrn genes from diploid related species into cultivated wheats are considered.