Imperata cylindrica mediated doubled haploidy in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.): quittances and breakthrough

Abstract

Wheat crop has a major role in current food system and global food security. Beyond doubt, wheat production has increased substantially, however, there has been increase in world’s population also, thereby, leading to increased food supply demand. To fulfil this demand, science today needs more efficient and new technologies for breeding wheat with faster pace. Conventional wheat breeding is time consuming as it requires the selfing from F₁ generation onwards to attain homozygosity. However, with the novel biotechnological tools there has been speeding up of the wheat breeding programmes. Doubled haploidy (DH) is one of the cutting-edge technologies which has been accepted widely for the improved wheat breeding programmes. Using DH technology, it is possible to attain the 100% homozygosity in a single generation and time to get complete homogenous breeding lines reduces to 1-2 years. Androgenesis (anther culture and microspore culture) and wheat × maize wide hybridization are two major methods to develop the double haploids in wheat. However, they have some limitations and need other techniques for DH induction. Among the different wide hybridization methods for DH development, Imperata cylindrica mediated chromosome elimination is known as most economical and efficient. Application of this method with the conventional breeding is game changing tool in wheat breeding programmes, and complement the conventional breeding to develop the improved lines in shortest time.