Morphological Indications for Introgression in Jordanian Wild emmer Wheat, Triticum dicoccoides (Korn. ex Assch. Graebner.) Schweinf

Morphological characterization of wild emmer wheat “Triticum turgidum sbsp. dicoccoides” populations which were collected from different sites from Jordan were conducted to assess the occurrence of introgression from cultivated durum wheat. Twelve morphological, developmental and productive parameters were measured. The presence of natural introgression from durum wheat landraces into wild emmer wheat populations was ascertained by significant morphological similarities of certain characters such as days to emergence, days to heading, early growth vigor, number of fertile tillers, absence of pigmentation of first leaf and awns, peduncle and awn length, number of spikelet per spike. The highest level of introgression appeared in Triticum dicoccoides populations from Sakhra (554) and Zatari (553). These populations were similar to all durum wheat landraces in six morphological characters. Naimeh (558) population showed moderate introgression, as it was similar to durum landraces in four characters. The remaining populations were similar in less than four characters with the durum wheat landraces.