Genetic characterization and evaluation of twenty Chinese winter wheat cultivars as potential sources of new diversity for breeding

Abstract

Twenty Chinese and two Czech wheat cultivars were assessed with respect to their genetic diversity using single sequence repeat (SSR) markers and high-molecular-weight (HMW)-glutenin alleles. Phenotypic characteristics including morphological, productivity and quality characters, earliness, and resistance to stresses were evaluated in field experiments and, consequently, drought tolerance (estimated by means of <sup>13</sup>C discrimination method) and winter hardiness (in provocation test) were tested. Employment of both genetic and phenotypic characteristics allowed identifying promising sources of new genetic diversity. Some Chinese cultivars were considered as potential donors of quality characters, earliness or drought tolerance. The results indicate that new genetic diversity can be found in resources of geographically distant origin.