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Wheat is a major cereal crop that possesses a large allopolyploid genome formed through hybridisation of tetraploid and diploid progenitors. During meiosis, crossovers (COs) are constrained in number to 1–3 per chromosome pair that are predominantly located towards the chromosome ends. This reduces the probability of advantageous traits recombining onto the same chromosome, thus limiting breeding. Therefore, understanding the underlying factors controlling meiotic recombination may provide strategies to unlock the genetic potential in wheat. In this mini-review, we will discuss the factors associated with restricted CO formation in wheat, such as timing of meiotic events, chromatin organisation, pre-meiotic DNA replication and dosage of CO genes, as a means to modulate recombination.

Crossovers (COs) ensure accurate chromosome segregation during meiosis while creating novel allelic combinations. Here, we show that allotetraploid (AABB) durum wheat (Triticum turgidum ssp. durum) utilizes two pathways of meiotic recombination. The class I pathway requires MSH4 and MSH5 (MutSγ) to maintain the obligate CO/chiasma and accounts for ∼85% of meiotic COs, whereas the residual ∼15% are consistent with the class II CO pathway. Class I and class II chiasmata are skewed toward the chromosome ends, but class II chiasmata are significantly more distal than class I chiasmata. Chiasma distribution does not reflect the abundance of double-strand breaks, detected by proxy as RAD51 foci at leptotene, but only ∼2.3% of these sites mature into chiasmata. MutSγ maintains the obligate chiasma despite a 5.4-kb deletion in MSH5B rendering it nonfunctional, which occurred early in the evolution of tetraploid wheat and was then domesticated into hexaploid (AABBDD) common wheat (Triticum aestivum), as well as an 8-kb deletion in MSH4D in hexaploid wheat, predicted to create a nonfunctional pseudogene. Stepwise loss of MSH5B and MSH4D following hybridization and whole-genome duplication may have occurred due to gene redundancy (as functional copies of MSH5A, MSH4A, and MSH4B are still present in the tetraploid and MSH5A, MSH5D, MSH4A, and MSH4B are present in the hexaploid) or as an adaptation to modulate recombination in allopolyploid wheat.

Reticulation between Helosciadium repens (Jacq.) W.D.J. Koch and H. nodiflorum (L.) W.D.J. Koch (Apiaceae) has been the source of much speculation, but until now supporting evidence has remained largely anecdotal. In the current study inter-specific hybridisation and introgression between the two species was confirmed using DNA barcoding. The parentage of three putative hybrids collected from Port Meadow, Oxfordshire (UK) was determined using a maternally-inherited chloroplast marker (rps16-trnK) and two biparentally-inherited nuclear markers (LEAFYi2, ITS). Two of the individuals are early-generation hybrids between H. repens and H. nodiflorum, F1 or otherwise, while the third is most likely a backcross to H. repens. These individuals are the first confirmed hybrids/hybrid derivatives between the two parental species, and represent a new addition to the British flora. The hybrids closely resemble H. nodiflorum var. longipedunculatum F.W. Schultz, and in our view should be treated as H. × longipedunculatum (F.W. Schultz) Desjardins.

The occurrences in Denmark, Britain and Ireland of ×Elyhordeum langei (Elymus repens × Hordeum secalinum) are documented, and the variation in this hybrid is described. The French hybrid ×E. rouxii is also briefly covered. The discovery, distribution and characters of a new hybrid, E. caninus × H. secalinum, first found in North Lincolnshire, England, in 2014, are described and discussed. Cytological and molecular studies are included. The latter is described as ×E. kirbyi M.P.Wilcox, hybr. nov.

Virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) is a rapid and cost-effective reverse genetic technology that can be used to assess gene function in wheat. This chapter contains a detailed description of how to target wheat meiotic genes by VIGS. The timing of this technique is critical and has been optimized to silence meiotic genes at peak expression, evidenced by silencing of Triticum aestivum disrupted meiotic cDNA1 (TaDMC1). We also describe cytological techniques that have been adapted for the preparation and analysis of meiocytes in wheat, including fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) with directly labeled, synthetic oligonucleotide probes, and immunolocalization on spread material.

A large clone of a Petasites found growing at Borde Hill, East Sussex in 2014, which had been identified as female P. pyrenaicus (P. fragrans), otherwise unknown in Europe as far as we are aware, has been shown by morphological and molecular studies to be the hybrid female P. japonicus × male P. pyrenaicus. The origin of this hybrid, new to science, is unknown, but it has evidently been growing at Borde Hill for several decades, and has now escaped into the wild beside an adjacent footpath.

Helosciadium × moorei (Apiaceae), collected from County Cork, Ireland, is confirmed as an interspecific hybrid between H. inundatum and H. nodiflorum. The origin of this taxon was investigated usin...