Morphology and chromosome pairing of a hybrid between Triticum durum Desf. and Haynaldia villosa (L.) Schur.

Intergeneric hybrids between T. durum Desf. (2n = 4x = 28, AABB) and Haynaldia villosa (L.) Schur. (2n = 2x = 14, VV) was obtained at a frequency of about 5.6% of pollinated florets. Phenotypically the f1 plants resemble more the maternal parent than the H. villosa and are almost completely sterile. However, some seeds were obtained on selfed and backcrossed heads with the durum wheat parent. The hybrid had a somatic complement of 2n = 3x = 21, ABV, with a mean chromosomal relationship of 13.62 univalents, 3.30 bivalents, and 0.26 trivalents. The high pairing was likely due to gene(s) of H. villosa interacting with the 5B homoeologous restricting system of wheat.