Feng Huang , Xiaoyu Du , Shaokui Zou , Lina Wang , Yulin Han

Zhoukou Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Zhoukou, 466001, China
Author    Correspondence author
Biological Evidence, 2024, Vol. 14, No. 5   doi: 10.5376/be.2024.14.0021
Received: 22 Jul., 2024    Accepted: 27 Aug., 2024    Published: 08 Sep., 2024

This is an open access article published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Huang F., Du X.Y., Zou S.K., Wang L., and Han Y.L., 2024, Advancements in wheat hybridization: overcoming biological barriers, Bioscience Evidence, 14(5): 195-205 (doi: 10.5376/be.2024.14.0021)

Wheat hybrid breeding is a key approach to improving global wheat productivity and ensuring food security. However, reproductive barriers between different wheat species, difficulties in chromosome pairing, and sterility issues in hybrid seed production have limited the widespread adoption of hybrid wheat varieties. To overcome these biological barriers, scientists have developed various advanced technologies and methods, facilitating progress in wheat hybrid breeding. This study reviews the latest technological advancements in overcoming biological barriers in wheat hybrid breeding, focusing on the application of male sterility systems, embryo rescue techniques, and gene editing. It also analyzes the progress in genomic and molecular tools. The research finds that male sterility systems, embryo rescue techniques, and gene editing technologies have successfully addressed some of the biological barriers in wheat hybrid breeding. Successful cases of hybrid wheat demonstrate that these technologies not only improve hybridization success rates but also enhance crop disease resistance and yield potential. Additionally, genomic tools have significantly accelerated the hybrid breeding process and optimized breeding efficiency. Overcoming biological barriers not only improves the efficiency of hybrid wheat breeding but also aids in the development of hybrid varieties with higher yields and enhanced disease resistance under adverse environmental conditions. This is of great significance for ensuring global food security.

Wheat; Hybrid breeding; Reproductive barriers; Gene editing; Male sterility syste