Use of spelt wheat (Triticum spelta L.) in breeding triticale (Triticosecale wittmack) for grain quality

Poor grain quality, mostly low proteins and gluten content, together with worse gluten quality, are the main obstacle to the widespread practical use of triticale. Hybridization of hexaploid triticale with certain Triticum species significantly expands the crop gene pool diversity and facilitates production of new forms with improved quality indicators. Spelt wheat is much suitable for crossing due to high protein content in grain (up to 25 %). The first Ukrainian study on hybridization between hexaploid triticale and spelt wheat was carried out in the Uman National University of Horticulture. The aim of the research was to improve triticale grain by intergeneric hybridization with spelt wheat and characterization of the hybrids for grain quality. The crosses resulted in a collection of more than 500 breeding samples of triticale which were grouped by plant height as medium, dwarf and short-stem forms. The best samples were analyzed for grain quality, i.e. content of proteins and gluten, the gluten quality, the 1000-seed weight and grain unite...