Comparative Analysis of Germination-Based Phenotyping Methods for Early Seedling Vigour Assessment in Durum Wheat (Triticum turgidum L. ssp. durum Desf.)

H G Shashank; Sherry Rachel Jacob; Manoj Kumar Patel; Jyoti Kumari; Krishnan P. Abhijith; Arun Kumar M.B; Sundeep Kumar; Rakesh Bharadwaj; Rahul Gajghate; Jayaluxmi  Devi Khumukcham; R.S. Priyanga; Kiran Dasanal

doi:10.56093/ijas.v96i11.180060

Authors

Shashank H G PhD Scholar, Division of Plant Genetic Resources, ICAR–Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi 110012, India
Sherry Rachel Jacob Division of Germplasm Conservation, ICAR–National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources (NBPGR), New Delhi 110012, India
Manoj Kumar Patel Research Associate, Division of Germplasm Conservation, ICAR–National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources, New Delhi 110012, India
Jyoti Kumari Principal Scientist, Division of Germplasm Evaluation, ICAR–National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources, New Delhi 110012, India
Krishnan P. Abhijith Scientist, School of Crop Improvement, ICAR–Indian Agricultural Research Institute, Assam 787035, India
Arun Kumar M.B Principal Scientist, Division of Seed Science and Technology, ICAR–Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi 110012, India
Sundeep Kumar Principal Scientist, Division of Genomic Resources, ICAR–National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources, New Delhi 110012, India
Rakesh Bharadwaj Principal Scientist, Division of Germplasm Evaluation, ICAR–National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources, New Delhi 110012, India
Rahul Gajghate Scientist, Division of Genetics, ICAR–Indian Agricultural Research Institute, Regional Station, Indore 452001, Madhya Pradesh, India
Jayaluxmi Devi Khumukcham PhD Scholar, Division of Genetics, ICAR–Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi 110012, India
R.S. Priyanga PhD Scholar, Division of Plant Genetic Resources, ICAR–Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi 110012, India
Kiran Dasanal Senior Research Fellow (SRF), Division of Germplasm Conservation, ICAR–National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources, New Delhi 110012, India

https://doi.org/10.56093/ijas.v96i11.180060

Keywords:

Coleoptile length, Durum wheat, Phenotyping, Root architecture, Seedling vigour, Vigour stand

Abstract

Accurate phenotyping of early seedling vigour traits is essential for improving crop establishment and stress adaptation in durum wheat (Triticum turgidum L. ssp. durum Desf.). However, the reliability and precision of commonly used germination-based screening methods remain inadequately evaluated. The present study compared three phenotyping methods, viz. Petri dish (PD), paper towel (PT), and vigour stand (VS), for assessing coleoptile length, root length, root number, and root angle in 20 diverse durum wheat genotypes evaluated in a completely randomized design with three replications under controlled laboratory conditions. Significant effects of genotype and screening method were observed for all traits (P < 0.001), while genotype × method interaction was significant only for root number. The VS method consistently recorded the highest mean values for coleoptile length (9.52 cm), root length (12.37 cm), root number (4.91), and root angle (41.41°), and exhibited the lowest coefficients of variation (0.50–0.52%), indicating superior experimental precision and repeatability. Strong positive correlations among methods (r = 0.984–0.998) demonstrated consistent genotype ranking; however, Bland–Altman analysis revealed systematic biases in absolute measurements, confirming that the methods were not interchangeable. Visual assessment further demonstrated more uniform seedling growth and clearer root development under the VS system. Overall, the vigour stand method provided greater phenotypic resolution, improved discrimination among genotypes, and enhanced measurement reliability than conventional methods. The results demonstrate the potential of the vigour stand method as a robust, reproducible, and scalable platform for accurate phenotyping of early seedling vigour and root traits in durum wheat breeding programmes.

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