| I. Research Notes On the findings of Triticum Spelta L. in Iran and on the arising of Triticum aestivum-types through crossing of different Spelta-types H. KUCKUCK Hannover, Germany The author during his assignment as F.A.O. expert for cereal-breeding in Iran in 1952-1954 found in the Baktiari country a well confined region with culture of Triticum Spelta L. This region extends from Shahr-Kord, the capital of the Baktiari country, located on a plateau of 2000-2300 m altitude, southwards 120 km to Shansebad and Buldaji. Massiv mountains, difficult to cross, cover the area near the lowlands of Khuzistan. Spelta culture extends about 150 km northwards from Shahr-Kord up to Golpaigan. The region lies between 50/51th longitude and 31/32th latitude Besides T. Spelta, also T. aestivum is cultivated to a larger and increasing extent. In the same area, also T. dicoccum can be found under cultivation but rather rarely. The Iranian Spelta-types exhibit the main characteristics of the species, T. Spelta L.: spikelets with firmly sticked glumes, shouldered and keeled shape of the glumes and brittle rachis. Comparative anatomical studies of the author's coworker Mrs. Dr. G. Pohlendt with different Spelta-forms from Iran and Europe and furthermore with T. Macha and T. aestivum (bred variety Heine VII) revealed that the anatomical basis in some Iranian samples is completely the same as in T. Spelta of Swiss origin, and that other samples are distinguished only by a feebler formation of the parenchymatic cave in the links of the rachis below the spikelets. Hereby the disarticulation is likely to be made more difficult. With the Iranian Spelta-type no spontaneous articulation of the upper part of the rachis was observed under cultivation in Germany as it happens with the European. Among the Iranian Spelta-types winter, summer and intermediate ("Wechselweizen") types were found. The winterhardiness particularly of the intermediate types is very low when cultivated in Germany. The morphological variability is rather limited. The exceptional finding of fragile but freethreshing types is very striking and interesting from a phylogenetical point of view. |
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