A paradigm shift in quality of modern bread wheat varieties cultivated in north-western plains of India

Abstract

Performance of wheat varieties released during the period 2010-21 has been examined for different production environments of India. Their productivity and quality characteristics have been reviewed for the ten year period 2012-21. Instead of central-peninsular India, now north-western plains are emerging as a territory where tremendous improvement has been observed not only in wheat productivity but also in quality characteristics like bread and chapati quality, grain weight, sedimentation value, gluten index and HMWGS combinations. With the advent of good quality wheat, prospects of commercialization have increased for the wheat harnessed under timely-sown condition of NWPZ. Breeding prospects for further improvement in value addition properties are also better in this zone. It has been suggested to promote and exploit commercial aspect of these assets gathered through successful wheat breeding.