Genetic diversity of wild barley (Hordeum vulgare ssp. spontaneum) and its utilization for barley improvement

Wild barley(Hordeum vulgare spp.spontaneum) is the undisputed progenitor of cultivated barley and offers considerable potential as a genetic resource for barley improvement.Naturally occurring populations are distributed primarily across the Fertile Crescent,but secondary areas of diversity are also found in central Asia and Tibet.The pattern of its genetic diversity is non-random,and is structured on a global,regional and local scale.On a global scale,diversity follows ecogeography,while on a regional and local scale,it is more strongly determined by ecology.Populations growing in areas where the climate is unreliable and/or the soil is heterogeneous tend to retain the most diversity.A large number of accessions are currently conserved ex situ,but a high proportion of these have originated from the Fertile Crescent.Given the likelihood of future climate change,conserving germplasm both in situ and ex situ in the various regions where the species' currently existing is a research priority.The value of H.vulgare spp.spontaneum for the improvement of cultivated barley lies largely in its potential contribution to the levels of attainable pathogen resistance and abiotic stress tolerance.