- Ekin Journal of Crop Breeding and Genetics
- Cilt: 10 Sayı: 1
- Status of Durum Wheat (T. durum Desf.) Genetic Resources in the Southeastern Anatolia From Past to P...
Status of Durum Wheat (T. durum Desf.) Genetic Resources in the Southeastern Anatolia From Past to Present
Authors : Irfan Özberk, Fethiye Özberk
Pages : 1-10
View : 20 | Download : 21
Publication Date : 2024-02-01
Article Type : Other
Abstract :Agriculture started to evolve in Anatolia about 10.000 years ago. Genetic diversity of crops plants with their wild relatives and center of domestication of durum wheat were always interested in by scientists. The connection between molecular markers such as AFLP (amplified fragment length polymorphism) and domestication geography showed that the Karacadağ mountain in the Southeast Anatolia was pointed out the origin of domesticated einkorn (T. monococcum ) and emmer (T. dicoccum). Durum wheat spread out from the Fertile Crescent and through southern Europe, reaching North Africa around 7000 BC. More recently, 17 Aegilops and 11 Triticum species or sub species including T. aestivum and T. durum were defined under both geneses in Türkiye. Twenty-five of them were wild relatives. Wheat landraces are composed of traditional crop varieties developed by farmers through years of natural and human selection. There have been several collection missions for wheat landraces. Durum wheat landraces were mostly grown until 1960 in Türkiye. They used to be called as ‘sarı buğday’. The acreage of the landraces grown in Türkiye is about 0.55 million ha. A survey held more recently proved the presence 162 names of wheat landraces in Türkiye. Many beneficial traits such as drought and cold tolerance and high grain quality were detected and tried to be exploited in modern breeding programs. Farmers have access to modern cultivars but keep their landraces. The main reason for maintaining landraces is satisfaction with the landraces’ performance under poor input conditions. Tens of landraces are still grown in Türkiye. Unless additional measures are taken, landraces will disappear gradually.Keywords : Historical evolution, wild relatives, landraces, present and future perspectives.