Evaluating Agronomic Traits Related to Grain Yield of Durum Wheat Landraces in Drylands Condition

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Dryland Agricultural Research Institute

2 Agricultural and Natural Resource Research Center of Ardabil

Abstract

Evaluating of agronomic traits and their relationships with grain yield are important in plant breeding. In order to evaluate agronomic traits and their effects on grain yield, 76 durum wheat landraces as well as 4 local checks were studied in augmented design with 4 blocks under rainfed condition in Maragheh and Ardabil locations. The result showed that there is remarkable diversity among landraces for the traits of fertile tillers (FT), spike length, spiklet per spike, grain per spike (Gr), plant height (PLH), and grain yield. In Maragheh and Ardabil, 7 and 2 landraces had higher yield values than local check (Gerdish), respectively. The result of simple correlation coefficient in Ardabil showed that yield was positively coreelated with PLH (r=0.31**) and thousand kernel weight (TKW; r=0.23*). In Maragheh, TKW had positive correlation (r=0.58 **) with yield. In contrast, yield negatively associated with days to heading (DH), days to maturity (DM), Gr and FT. According to stepwise regression, the TKW and DM significantly affected the yield. Based on path coefficient analysis, the TKW positively increased the yield, whereas the DM negatively affected the yield. Cluster analysis divided the landraces into 4 and 3 clusters in Maragheh and Ardabil, respectively. Cluster analysis showed that landraces with lower FT, Gr, DH, DM as well as with higher TKW and PLH had higher yield. Despite of being differences between the locations regarding the effect of traits on the yield, it can be concluded that selection based on TKW could be most effective in rainfed conditions because of its positive correlation with yield under both conditions. Moreover, selection based on early maturity could improve yield in drylands.

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