Development of wheat–alien translocation lines will facilitate its practical utilization in wheat improvement. The objective of the present study was to produce compensating wheat–Thinopyrum bessarabicum whole arm Robertsonian translocations (RobTs) involving chromosomes 2B of wheat and 2Eb of Th. bessarabicum through the mechanism of centric breakage-fusion. F2 population from crosses between DS2Eb(2B) substitution line and bread wheat 'Roushan' (2n = 6x = 42, AABBDD) as female parent were made. Forty one F2 lines (L1 to L41) were screened for their chromosome composition. Three 2Eb specific PCR-based Landmark Unique Gene (PLUG) markers were used for screening F2 progeny derived from plants double-monosomic for chromosome 2B and 2Eb. Two RobTs (~5%) were observed among F2 plants. Homozygous translocations (T2EbS.2BL) with good plant vigor and full fertility were selected from F3 families. The T2EbS.2BL stock has longer awn than that of its parents. It is cytogenetically stable, and may be useful in wheat improvement.
