New purple-grain botanical varieties of bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

Abstract

Background . Purple color of grain is rare in Triticum aestivum L. This trait is characteristic of T. aethiopicum Jakubz. The discovery of antioxidants beneficial to human health in purple grain of bread wheat has stimulated breeding for this trait. Materials and methods . The purple grain identified in that of spring bread wheat cultivar 'Nadine' (k-67127, Tyumen Province) was used for selecting lines differing in awns, pubescence, and glume color. The selections were conducted over a five-year period of 2019–2024. In 2024, segregation ceased and the lines became stable. Plants from the resulting samples were selected for herbarization, designated as the nomenclatural types, and submitted to the Herbarium of Cultivated Plants of the World, their Wild Relatives, and Weeds (WIR). Results .