Coping with salinity: HANAA new salt tolerant wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivar selected by In Vito mutation breeding program

In vitro mutation breeding program was conducted to induce salt tolerant trait in spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) Ajeeba cultivar. Immature embryos were cultured on modified MS medium. Calli were subjected to (0, 10, 20, or 30 Gy) of gamma rays. Irradiated calli were transferred to MS medium of 2.5, 9, 12 or 15 dsm(-1) salt levels. The survival calli were transferred to regeneration medium and the regenerated plants were acclimatized and transferred to the field. Several hundred plants were obtained and tested for salt tolerance in a hydroponic culture. After two months in the hydroponic culture selected plants were transferred to the soil. Seeds of the survived plants were grown in salt affected land and screened for several generations. Plants were selected based on their morphological and production traits under salt stress in the field. Selected lines were subjected to several analyses such as total protein content, disease tolerant, elasticity, and other rheological properties. One line was registered and released by The Ministry of Agriculture, The National Committee for the Registration, Release and Protection of Iraqi Cultivars under the name HANAA which is new salt tolerant cultivar that can tolerate up to 18 dsm(-1) in the field with large seeds, high 1000 seeds weight, high protein content and good elasticity suitable for Iraqi flat bread.