Abstract
Two-line hybrid wheat system using thermo-photo sensitive genic male sterility (TPSGMS) is now a dominant and promising approach of wheat heterosis utilization in China. However, few TPSGMS lines available for practical application have always been a bottleneck affecting the efficiency of creating hybrids with strong heterosis since its establishment in 1992. This study aimed to improve the efficiency of developing TPSGMS lines by doubled haploid (DH) breeding. F 1 s and selected F 2 and F 3 sterile plants from 8 crosses made with 2 commercial TPSGMS lines K78S and K456S were used to produce DH lines by wheat × maize system. 24 elite sterile lines possessing stable sterility, good outcrossing and yield potentials, resistance to yellow rust and powdery mildew, and desirable plant height (50-60 cm) were obtained within 4 years. 20 out of 24 elite lines that performed stable sterility in tests of two or three years and high outcrossing rate (>70%) under open pollination, will be used for hybrid breeding later. The percentage of selected sterile lines in total tested DH lines produced from filial generations was in the order of F 3 > F 2 > F 1 for sterility, and F 2 > F 3 > F 1 for elite lines in this study, thus producing DHs from F 2 generation appeared to be the better choice considering the balance of overall breeding efficiency and time saving. This study verified that combining DH techniques with conventional breeding would be an efficient strategy for developing practically usable wheat TPSGMS lines, both in number and time saving.