DBW 296 (Karan Aishwarya): A new high yielding wheat variety for cultivation under limited irrigation

Abstract

DBW 296 (Karan Aishwarya) is a new high yielding bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)
variety released in 2021 by CVRC for restricted irrigation in timely sown conditions of North-
Western Plains Zone (NWPZ) of India. NWPZ is the largest wheat producing zone in India with
productivity levels higher than other four zones. DBW 296 recorded a mean yield of 56.1 q/ha under
limited irrigation with a potential yield level of 83.3 q/ha. This variety showed good levels of field
resistance to yellow and brown rusts over 3 years of testing in national trials. It is also resistant to foliar diseases and Karnal bunt, and showed consistently higher yield in All India Coordinated Research Project (AICRP) wheat trials as compared to all the checks and exhibited good level of drought tolerance. DBW 296 features soft grains and a high biscuit spread factor (scoring 9.5/10), making it ideal for high-quality biscuits. Furthermore, this new variety is suitable for multiple enduse products as indicated by high bread quality, chapati-making, bread loaf volume and hectolitre weight. High quality and yield potential with low cost of production make DBW 296 a suitable variety for boosting farm economy and food security of the country.