Evaluation of a collection of wild wheat relative Aegilops geniculata Roth and identification of potential sources for useful traits

A collection comprising 157 Aegilops geniculata accessionsoriginating from different ecogeographical regions was established atENSA-INRA, Montpellier. The accessions were studied for physiologicaltraits related to drought and heat stress and screened for resistance tobarley yellow dwarf virus (BYDV) and rusts. Some accessions were alsotested for resistance to Hessian fly and cereal cyst nematodes (CCN). The study allowed to distinguish different adaptive strategies to theclimatic constraints encountered by Aegilops populations in theirregion of origin. They led to significant differences in biomass and grainproduction and should be taken into account in the utilisation of Ae.geniculata germplasm in wheat breeding programs. Two accessions withresistance to BYDV were found. Both originated from South of France. Theinterest of Ae. geniculata as a source of rust resistance was confirmedand accessions with resistance to the three rusts were identified. Highresistance against populations of Heterodera avenae and H.latipons was found in accessions from Spain, Bulgaria, Jordan and Tunisia.Sources of resistance to Hessian fly were also identified.