Pre-Field Screening of Potential Barley and Durum Wheat Mutants for Drought Tolerance
Mokhtar Baraket *
Carthage University, National Research Institute for Rural Engineering, Water and Forestry, BP 10, 2080 Ariana, Tunisia.
Chahine Karmous
National Institute of Agronomy of Tunisia, Carthage University, LR14 AGR01, Laboratory of Genetics and Cereal Breeding, 1082 Tunis, Tunisia.
Hajer Slim Amara
National Institute of Agronomy of Tunisia, Carthage University, LR14 AGR01, Laboratory of Genetics and Cereal Breeding, 1082 Tunis, Tunisia.
Sawsen Ayadi
National Institute of Agronomy of Tunisia, Carthage University, LR14 AGR01, Laboratory of Genetics and Cereal Breeding, 1082 Tunis, Tunisia.
Ines Zouari
National Institute of Agronomy of Tunisia, Carthage University, LR14 AGR01, Laboratory of Genetics and Cereal Breeding, 1082 Tunis, Tunisia.
Zoubeir Chamekh
National Institute of Agricultural Research of Tunisia, Field Crop, Carthage University, Tunis 2049, Tunisia.
Zied Hammami
International Center for Biosaline Agriculture (ICBA), Dubai, P.O.Box 14660, UAE.
Olfa Ayed Slama
National Institute of Agronomy of Tunisia, Carthage University, LR14 AGR01, Laboratory of Genetics and Cereal Breeding, 1082 Tunis, Tunisia.
Amina Aly
Natural Products Department, National Centre for Radiation Research and Technology, Atomic Energy Authority, P.O. 29, Nasr City, Cairo, Egypt.
Fatma Sarsu
Department of Nuclear Sciences and Applications, Plant Breeding and Genetics Section, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Vienna International Centre, Vienna, Austria.
Salma Jallouli
National Institute of Agronomy of Tunisia, Carthage University, LR14 AGR01, Laboratory of Genetics and Cereal Breeding, 1082 Tunis, Tunisia.
Latifa Chaouachi
National Institute of Agronomy of Tunisia, Carthage University, LR14 AGR01, Laboratory of Genetics and Cereal Breeding, 1082 Tunis, Tunisia.
Marwa Hassine
National Institute of Agronomy of Tunisia, Carthage University, LR14 AGR01, Laboratory of Genetics and Cereal Breeding, 1082 Tunis, Tunisia.
Wafa Ounissi
National Institute of Agronomy of Tunisia, Carthage University, LR14 AGR01, Laboratory of Genetics and Cereal Breeding, 1082 Tunis, Tunisia.
Youssef Trifa
National Institute of Agronomy of Tunisia, Carthage University, LR14 AGR01, Laboratory of Genetics and Cereal Breeding, 1082 Tunis, Tunisia.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Drought is the most important stress reducing drastically crop production in Tunisia. Therefore, it is imperative to develop drought tolerant barley and durum wheat variety. This study aims to screen for water stress tolerance among generated variability of barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) and durum wheat (Triticum turgidum ssp. durum). Two commercial genotypes of barley "Rihane" and durum wheat "Maali" were exposed to three levels of γ-irradiation; 100 Gy, 150 Gy and 250 Gy. Selection was set up on M2 using early vigor (Z14) and stay green phenotype (Z59) parameters which allowed to identify 70 and 167 potential mutants of barley and durum wheat, respectively. All selected mutants were assessed for morphological, physiological and yield variability compared to control. Selected barley mutants showed higher yield components than the average non-irradiated controls. Durum wheat M2 selected mutants showed higher agro-morphological parameters under all gamma irradiations. Higher number and fertile tillers were observed under low irradiation levels of 100 and 150 Gy, respectively. Photosynthesis activity evaluated by Fv/Fm and Fv/F0 was improved under 100 Gy. Besides, yield components were also improved mostly under 250 Gy. Furthermore, results showed that δ15N (‰) and δ13C (‰) measured on M3 kernels were not able to discriminate tolerant mutant. All measured parameters will be used in further generations to ass the variability and the efficiency of mutation breeding process on barley and durum wheat.
Keywords: Barley, durum wheat, drought stress, gamma irradiation