Haploid Production Technology: Fasten Wheat Breeding to Meet Future Food Security

Abstract

It is not an easy task to match increasing food demands in the future. The damage from climate change will be greatly intensified in the near future, and wheat varieties must have a sufficient level of drought and heat tolerance to avoid significant reductions in global wheat production. Doubled haploid (DH) is one such technology to cope with these difficulties. Wheat DH methods have significantly advanced in the last several decades. It has already been widely utilized in wheat breeding in Western countries, and the number of DH lines necessary to have a new variety is sometimes less than 100. DH wheat varieties cover a significant percentage of wheat fields in Canada (30% in 2011) and Romania (16% in 2012). For further improvement on wheat DH technology, wheat haploid inducer lines or CEN3 meditated methods may be available in the future. DH technology can bring more genetic gain to achieve greater yield increase and, at the same time, adapt for climate change. It is a key tool for future food security.