Small “Nested” Introgressions from Wild Thinopyrum Species, Conferring Effective Resistance to Fusarium Diseases, Positively Impact Durum Wheat Yield Potential

Today wheat cultivation is facing rapidly changing climate scenarios and yield instability, aggravated by the spreading of severe diseases such as Fusarium head blight (FHB) crown rot (FCR). To obtain productive genotypes resilient to stress pressure, smart breeding approaches must be envisaged, including exploitation wild relatives. Here we report on assessment potential six durum wheat-Thinopyrum spp. recombinant lines (RLs) obtained through chromosome engineering. They are characterized having 23% or 28% their 7AL arm replaced a “nested” alien segment, composed homoeologous group 7 fractions from Th. ponticum elongatum (=7el1L + 7EL) different accessions 7el2L). In addition 7el1L genes Lr19 Yp (leaf rust resistance, yellow pigment content, respectively), these possess highly effective QTL for resistance FHB FCR within 7el2L 7EL portion. The RLs, null segregants well-adapted cultivars were evaluated 16 yield-related traits over two seasons under rainfed irrigated conditions. absence penalties excellent genetic stability RLs was revealed in presence all segment combinations. Both stacked introgressions had positive impacts source sink traits, well overall performance conditions reduced water availability. four tested 2020 among top five yielders, representing good candidates employed programs enhance crop security safety.