Screening of elite bread wheat genotypes for yield and quality components

Abstract

Wheat is a staple food of developing countries like India. Screening of bread wheat genotypes is of paramount importance to promote high-yielding genotypes along with quality components like hectolitre weight (HLW) for better market price. This study was conducted to evaluate 198 wheat genotypes along with three standard checks using an Augmented Block Design at two locations within the eastern Gangetic plains of India (EGP), namely Sabour and Ranchi. Nine studied traits including HLW were recorded to perform genetic analysis among the studied wheat genotypes. Analysis of variance indicated that genotypic differences significantly contributed to yield components and flowering time. HLW displayed positive significant correlation with grain yield per plot (GYPP) (0.56), grains per spike (GPS) (0.22) and showed negative significant correlation with days to maturity (DM) (-0.44), days to heading (DH) (-0.46) and peduncle length (PDL) (-0.23) at Ranchi. At Sabour, HLW showed a positive significant correlation with 1000-grain weight (TGW) (0.68), GYPP (0.37) and showed negative significant correlation with DM (-0.21), GPS (-0.23), PDL (-0.43), DH (-0.34) and plant height (PH) (-0.43).  First five major PCs contributed around 75% of total genetic variation across the environments. Biplot analysis based on first two major principal components (PCs) confirmed, DH and DM, GYPP and HLW, PH and PDL were closely related at both centers. Considering Ranchi, contribution of DH, DM, HLW and GYPP towards first two PCs was similar to Sabour. In summary, HLW and GYPP along with one flowering trait were considered as key selection parameters in wheat.