Hordecale (Hordeum vulgare L. × Secale cereale L.)

Abstract

Genetic variability for agronomic traits is the basis for crop improvement which in turn will ensure a stable agricultural economy and reliable food supply. The most readily usable sources of genetic variability are other cultivars and land races of the same crop which grow in the centres of origin. Once these resources are sampled or exhausted, the next source of variability are the immediate wild-species relatives of crop plants. A more diverse source of variability is that of intergeneric hybridization. Although the phylogenetic distances between genera are much greater than species differences, the developments over the past decade have permitted the bridging of such gaps. The developments include a discovery of genetic crossability mechanisms and recognition of compatible genotypes in several crop species. The second development consists of improvements in embryo culture techniques and application of plant growth regulators in crossing procedures.