Summer dormancy improves drought survival and autumn recovery of perennial forage species in Mediterranean areas. Morocco has served as a source of germplasm for orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata L.) breeding, but little is known of the incidence and variability of the summer dormancy trait in Moroccan orchardgrass germplasm. This paper characterizes summer dormancy and summer drought survival in Moroccan ecotypes of orchardgrass. Ten Moroccan ecotypes and the cultivar Kasbah were studied in the field in Guich experimental INRA, Rabat, Morocco. Two trials were conducted in irrigated (to test summer dormancy) and in rainfed conditions (to test drought survival after summer). Under irrigation, Moroccan ecotypes of orchardgrass and Kasbah were summer dormant. According to a summer dormancy index and a combination of physiological responses, most ecotypes and Kasbah were found completely dormant. A single ecotype was considered incompletely dormant. After intense first year summer drought, plant survival was correlated (P < 0.001) with water soluble carbohydrate (WSC) content and osmotic potential in immature leaf bases (r = 0.67 and 0.62, respectively). Two Moroccan ecotypes exhibited higher post‐drought survival after summer drought (98%) than Kasbah (90%) (P < 0.01). After a second year with severe drought, an ecotype outyielded Kasbah for autumn recovery (P < 0.001). Moroccan germplasm exhibited good levels of dormancy and agronomic performance that would be desirable in breeding programs.
Eight genotypes of Triticum turgidum L. ssp. durum (2n = 4x = 28) were pollinated by three varieties of maize (Zea mays L.) to obtain green haploid durum wheat plants. After pollination, plants were cut and maintained in a nutrient solution until the ovary developed, and the embryo was rescued through in vitro culture. The influence of both the wheat and the maize genotypes on ovary development and embryo and green haploid plant formation was apparent. Ovary development and embryo formation were observed in all wheat genotypes with at least one maize variety. Green plants were obtained from six of the eight cultivars tested. Sixty doubled haploid green plants were recovered after colchicine treatment.Key words: Triticum turgidum ssp. durum, Zea mays, intergeneric hybridization, embryo rescue, haploid green plants.
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