The abiotic stress response and adaptation of triticale — A review

Abstract

After a decade of genetic manipulation and improvement, triticale stand out as a crop of high biomass and grain yield potential which generally surpass that of wheat. Its high productivity is most likely derived from high rates of carbon assimilation linked to stomatal physiology and probably low respiration rate. Being a derivative of rye, triticale has always been assumed to be relatively resistant to abiotic stress. The last review of triticale adaptation to abiotic stress as published by Jessop (1996) pointed at its general and specific fitness to harsh growing conditions. This review as based on additional data published in the last 20 years indicates that triticale retain good to excellent adaptation to conditions of limited water supply and problem soils which involve salinity, low pH, defined mineral toxicities and deficiencies and waterlogging. Despite the understandable expectations, freezing tolerance of triticale was not found to be up to the level of rye. The freezing tolerance of the rye complement in triticale is inhibited by unknown factors on the wheat parent genome. Any given triticale cultivar or selection cannot be taken a priori as being stress resistant. Research has repeatedly shown that triticale presented large genetic diversity for abiotic stress resistance and most likely this diversity has not yet been fully explored due to the very limited research and the small studied sample of the potential triticale germplasm. Triticale is a valuable stress tolerant cereal on its own accord and a potential genetic resource for breeding winter and spring cereals. Because of its high productivity and resilience it might become as important as wheat or better on a global scale if its grain technological quality will be improved to the level of wheat.

Combining carbon-13 and oxygen-18 to unravel triticale grain yield and physiological response to water stress

“…Triticale was selected for this study as it out yields wheat in both favourable and unfavourable conditions (Bassu et al, 2011;Estrada-Campuzano et al, 2012). It is also believed that triticale will become more important in the future than wheat if grain quality is improved (Blum, 2014). Its importance will arise due to: climate change; the spreading of agriculture in marginal lands and the need to feed the ever increasing population under harsh conditions.…”

Construction and Efficiency of Selection Indices in Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) under Drought Stress and Well-Irrigated Conditions

“…Cooler CT is associated with greater stomatal conductance and increased gas exchange rate under irrigated conditions and better hydration status under drought (Pinto et al 2010). Blum et al (1989) and Blum (2014) found a positive correlation between drought susceptibility and canopy temperature in stressed environments and genotypes with higher yield losses under drought had warmer canopies. In a study on rice, Ahmadikhah and Marufinia (2016) revealed that in severe water deficit, the rice mutant line MT85 (a rice mutant line which was 18 cm shorter than its wild type cv Neda) showed lower loss (19%) in yield as compared to Neda (31%) with high yield loss.…”

The Importance of Triticale in Animal Nutrition

“…Cereal production per capita in 2012, due to droughts in Australia and the United States amounted to 294 kg and was the smallest in the past 30 years. Blum (2014) emphasizes that one of the solutions is to increase the area under triticale due to the fact that this plant can grow on marginal lands, as well as in arid conditions that are becoming more and more widespread as a result of global climate change. Newer generation of triticale species has significantly improved biological properties and higher quality grains due to increased protein content, especially lysine.…”