The theoretical basis of grain fodder rye breeding for low water soluble pentosans

To breed winter rye with low content of water soluble arabinixylans (WS-AX) in grains the search of initial material was carried out in 400 samples from World Collection of All-Russian Institute of Plant Industry (VIR). The revealed variability for WS-AX content was shown to be insufficient for low pentosans’ rye breeding. However, low pentosans biotypes (0.5-1.0 %) were found in the populations, for identification of which the method of «clonal halves» was elaborated. All F 1 hybrids displayed clear dominance or overdominance of high WS-AX content over low one and recessive character of low WS-AX content inheritance. Reciprocal crosses of rye forms differing in WS-AX contents showed absence of paternal components influence on WS-AX content in grains of maternal plants. The results of crosses will become apparent only in the second hybrid generation. On the basis of anatomic-morphological research of rye grains with low WS-AX content the strategy of low pentosans’ rye breeding has been formulated (reduction of seed coat portions at endosperm chemical composition improvement). With use of this strategy breeding materials were obtained and 7 fodder rye populations (pre-varieties) with low WS-AX content in grains have been created.