Registration of 'Malika': A Bread Wheat Cultivar Developed through Doubled Haploid Breeding

Malika', a hard red spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivar developed using doubled haploid technology by the Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA), Morocco, and tested as 06DHBW48, was approved for release in 2016 by the Office National de S?curit? Sanitaire des Produits Alimentaires (ONSSA), Morocco. Malika was selected from the doubled haploids derived from the cross 'Achtar3*//'Kanz'/Ks85-8-4). Achtar and Kanz are Moroccan varieties originating from segregating populations from CIMMYT. Achtar and Kanz are a well adapted to Moroccan conditions but susceptible to the Hessian fly, yellow rusts and some races of leaf rust. 'Achtar' was crossed with it in order to incorporate the Hessian fly resistance, yellow rust resistance and leaf rust resistance and 'Achtar' was crossed with Kanz/Ks85-8-4 having resistance to Hessian fly, yellow rust and leaf rust. Backcrossed 3 times with 'Achtar', and selected lines having resistance to the Hessian fly, yellow rust and leaf rust from the population derived from each backcross. Finally the selected the resistant line was used develop doubled haploids. The doubled haploid lines produced were tested in the laboratory and field for Hessian fly and the rust resistance. The resistant lines were incorporated in the multi-local yield trials and three promising lines with the resistance to Hessian fly, yellow rust and leaf rust and better yield and quality were submitted for registration in the official catalog in 2014. After 2 years of testing (years 2014-15 and 2015-16), one line (06DHBW48) was accepted for the registration and designated as 'Malika'. 'Malika' is a semi-dwarf variety, well adapted to semi-arid regions, early maturing, high yielding, tolerant to drought and resistant to Hessian fly, leaf rust and yellow rust.