Hybrid breeding in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) has the potential to deliver major yield increases. This is a requisite to guarantee food security for increasing population demands and to counterbalance the effects of extreme environmental conditions. Successful hybrid breeding in wheat relies on forced outcrossing while preventing self-pollination. To achieve this, research has been directed towards identifying and improving fertility control systems. To maximise cross-pollination and seed set, however, fertility control systems need to be complemented by breeding phenotypically distinct male and female lines. This review summarises existing and novel male sterility systems for wheat hybridisation. We also consider the genetic resources that can be used to alter wheat’s floral development and spike morphology, with a focus on the genetic variation already available. Exploiting these resources can lead to enhanced outcrossing, a key requirement in the progress towards hybrid wheat breeding.

中文翻译：

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小麦杂交育种：塑造花卉生物学如何提供新视角

小麦（Triticum aestivum L.）的杂交育种有可能大幅提高产量。这是保证粮食安全以应对日益增长的人口需求和抵消极端环境条件影响的必要条件。小麦杂交育种的成功依赖于强制异交，同时防止自花授粉。为了实现这一目标，研究一直致力于识别和改进生育控制系统。然而，为了最大限度地提高异花授粉和种子组，生育控制系统需要通过培育表型不同的雄性和雌性品系来补充。这篇综述总结了现有的和新的小麦杂交雄性不育系统。我们还考虑了可用于改变小麦花发育和穗状花序形态的遗传资源，重点是已经可用的遗传变异。利用这些资源可以增强异交，这是杂交小麦育种进展的关键要求。