INDIRECT SELECTION OF CRE1 GENE IN WINTER WHEAT POPULATIONS

The nematodes are important biotic constraint in rain-fed wheat production systems. In Turkey, they is found in 75.0% of soil samples in Central Anatolia with the dominant species being Heterodera filipjevi. Yield losses for winter wheat in rain-fed environments are documented between 27.0-46.0 %. A single dominant gene for resistance to H. avenae, designated as Cre1, was assessed in Turkey. It was also found to be effective to Heterodera filipjevi. In this research, a STS-based Cre1 marker was applied in a number of segregating wheat populations from F(1) to F(4) to discriminate Cre1-positive lines among the wheat populations. Results clearly indicated that Marker Assisted Selection (MAS) is functioning effectively, with recovery of Cre1 positive lines up to 88.0 % depending on the cross in early stage of breeding.