A lack of nuclear DNA content variability among wheat near isolines differing in aluminium response

Nucteotypic variation has been speculated to play a role in the adaptation of crop species to environmental stress. The objective of this study was to determine if nuclear DNA content variability was associated with aluminium (Al) tolerance in wheat. Six wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) near isolines (differing in Al response), two recurrent parents (Al sensitive), and one donor parent (Al tolerant) were all analysed for nuclear DNA content using flow cytometry. A 1.7 % variation in nuclear DNA content was observed among the nine wheat lines. No association between Al response and nuclear DNA content was observed. All of the wheat near isolines had a nuclear DNA content similar to their recurrent parent. The wheat genome appears to be stable with no unusual inheritance of nuclear DNA content observed. Flow cytometric analysis proved to be sensitive enough to detect nuclear DNA content variability at the level of 0.5 % variation among wheat lines.