Year 2026, Volume 72 Issue 2
| Year : | 2026 |
| Volume : | 72 |
| Issue : | 2 |
| Authors : | Natalia I. RYABCHUN; Liana I. RELINA; Tetiana O. YASTREB; Ivan V. SHAKHOV; Yuriy E. KOLUPAEV |
| Title : | RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN FROST RESISTANCE OF ETIOLATED SEEDLINGS AND GREEN WHEAT PLANTS (Triticum aestivum) IN THE TILLERING PHASE AND THE POSSIBILITIES OF ITS USE IN GENOTYPE EVALUATION |
| Abstract : | Frost tolerance assessment of plants at the tillering stage is considered the most reliable method for evaluating winter wheat cultivars and lines as well as other winter cereals. However, this approach is labor-intensive, energy-consuming, and season-dependent, which significantly complicates its application for high-throughput screening of breeding material. This study aimed to explore the potential of using etiolated seedlings as a model for evaluating the frost tolerance of wheat genotypes. Nine winter wheat cultivars of diverse eco-geographical origins were assessed for frost tolerance at the tillering stage (the standard method) and using etiolated seedlings. In experiments conducted in 2022–2024, adult plants were outdoor-grown in soil-filled containers and underwent natural cold hardening in the autumn. Following hardening, the content of soluble carbohydrates in tillering nodes was determined, and the plants were frozen in climate chambers with temperatures gradually decreasing to –16°C or –18°C. Concurrently, the frost tolerance of etiolated seedlings of these wheat cultivars was investigated. Three-day-old seedlings were hardened in a thermostat at 3°C for 6 days. Subsequently, one group of seedlings was used to determine soluble carbohydrate content, while the other was frozen at –9°C or –12°C. There was a strong correlation between the survival of plants at the tillering stage and that of etiolated seedlings across all specified freezing temperatures (r=0.76 … 0.83). Furthermore, there was a significant correlation between post-freezing survival and post-hardening content of soluble carbohydrates both in tillering nodes (r=0.95 … 0.99) and in etiolated seedlings (r=0.77 … 0.79). It is concluded that etiolated seedlings can serve as a model for a preliminary assessment of the frost resistance of winter wheat genotypes. |
| For citation : | Ryabchun, N.I., Relina, L.I., Yastreb, T.O., Shakhov, I.V., Kolupaev, Y.E. (2026). Relationship between frost resistance of etiolated seedlings and green wheat plants (Triticum aestivum) in the tillering phase and the possibilities of its use in genotype evaluation. Agriculture and Forestry, 72 (2): 243-257. https://doi:10.17707/AgricultForest.72.2.16 |
| Keywords : | Triticum aestivum, etiolated seedlings, tillering phase, frost tolerance, cold hardening, soluble carbohydrates |
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