The purpose of this study was to analyze the genetic segregation of heading traits in wheat using recombinant inbred lines (RILs) of hexaploid wheat, derived from Triticum aestivum cv. Chinese Spring and T. spelta var. duhameliamum. The population was examined under controlled environmental conditions as well as in the field. This strategy differentiated the effect of three genetic factors (vernalization requirement, photoperiod sensitivity and narrow-sense earliness) and identified their interactions. Correlation analysis showed that photoperiod sensitivity and narrow-sense earliness are critical for heading time in the field. Single-marker analysis using 322 molecular markers segregating among RIL detected a total of 38 linked markers for each genetic factor and heading in the field. In interval analysis, two Vrn genes (Vrn-B1 and Vrn-D1) and Ppd-B1 were mapped on chromosomes 5B, 5D and 2B, respectively. It was noticed that Vrn-B1 on 5B from the spelt wheat conferred a strong-spring habit equivalent to the homoeologous Vrn-A1. Quantitative trait locus analysis also showed that Ppd-B1 was not detected under the short-day condition without vernalization treatment, and that there were two types of genes for photoperiod sensitivity, dependent on and independent of vernalization treatment.