A Simplified Selection Strategy for Simultaneous Improvement in Product Quality and Grain Yield in Wheat Varieties of North-Western Plains of India

Simplified Selection Strategy for Improving Wheat Grain Yield and Quality

Abstract

Twenty years performance of high yield genotypes evaluated under timely sown and late sown conditions in the Received: national wheat research program of India were examined separately for the North-Western Plains region, to devise a simple and inexpensive strategy of simultaneous improvement in end-products and productivity. Relationship of four basic grain quality (test weight, protein content, sedimentation value and grain hardness index) and yield related parameters (plant height, days to heading, maturity period and thousand-grain weight) of bread wheat was analyzed with quality of the three end-products (bread, chapati and biscuit) to formulate a suitable selection criteria. Amongst the yield governing traits, plant height emerged as the most powerful indicator of improved product quality in majority of the cases. The grain hardness generally remained inconsequential and influenced only the biscuit quality of timely-sown wheat. This investigation underlines that it’s not necessary to accomplish everything in the labs; field-based phenotypic evaluation during material generation can effectively also vary when sowing time differ. Crop phenology, a key factor under timely planting loses relevance when planting is done late. Selection criteria formulated for each product, suggests that highly significant improvement in product quality and grain yield is achievable in this highly productive region with the help of only one to three key factors.