Abstract only

Since 1993, Azerbaijan has been involved in International Winter Wheat Improvement Program (IWWIP), which is coordinated by CIMMYT, ICARDA and Ministry of Agriculture of Turkey. The basic strategy of IWWIP is large-scale ecological testing of improved germplasm contri- buted by the cooperating countries and providing them with advanced germplasm to enrich their breeding programs. Every year the institute receives new lines and varieties of bread wheat developed by breeding programs from all over the world. During the recent 5 years a set of the wheat lines including 210 items from the international nurseries of CIMMYT/IÑARDA, originated from the various regions of the world (USA, Canada, Turkey, Syria, Iran, Bulgaria, Hungary, Russia, etc.) was studied. According to the CIMMYT methodo- logy the following traits were observed: seed germi- nation and viability, grain yield, grain protein content, Iysine content in total protein, triptophane content in total protein, and reaction to different diseases. Bezostaya-l was used as a check. Each entry was planted on the area of 1 m2. The check was sowed after every 20 items. Among the most important traits that exert high inf1uence on grain yield the number of plants per unit area is the one ref1ecting plant survival rate. Among the studied entries values of this trait varied between 107 and 233, with the value for the check being 25 plants per m2. In our study, 37% of the entries produced from lOto 396g/m2 higher grain yield, as compared to the check variety Bezostaya-1. 50% of the entries produced grain yield in level with the check, while 13% of the entries yielded less grain than the check. Number of spikes per plant varied from 1.3 to 3.3 tillers among the studied entries, while that for the check was 2.0 tillers per plant. Grain yield is largely determined by grain weight per spike, which is influenced by both grain number per spike and grain weight. Grain weight is usually expressed in 1000-grainweight. Grain we- ight per spike in the entries varied from 0.9 to 2.3 9 compared to 1.34g of the check variety. Va1ues of 1000-grain weight of the tested germplasm ranged from 30.1 to 67.2 g. According to plant height 15% of the entries were grouped as short-stature genotypes ( 60- 70 cm), 65% were ascribed to the group of interme- diate-stature (75-90 cm) and 20% of the entries formed group oftall-stature (95-120 cm) genotypes. Plant height of Bezostaya-1 was 97 cm. Analysis of number of days from emergence to heading revealed the entries that headed 11-15 days earlier than the check ( 18% ),5-1 0 days earlier than the check (36%), about the same day as the check (32%), and later than the check (14 %). The germplasm was screened for reaction to diseases under the field conditions. Check Bezostaya-1 was not affected by yellow rust. About 3%,9%, and 2%, of the entries were scored with 5 points, 3-4 points, and 2-3 points, respectively, while the rest were found resistant to yellow rust. In terms ofthe grain protein content, 55% of the entries exceeded the check for 0.3-4.6%. About 55% and 62% of the tested entries exceeded the check by Iysine and triptophane content, respectively. Grain starch content in 70% of the entries varied from 57% to 64%, with values of the check being equal to 56%. Besides, drought, heat and salinity tolerance of the studied entries were evaluated at the Plant physiology laboratory of the institute. About 85% of the entries were found to be heat and drought tolerant, while 96-100% of them were salinity tolerant.

English

0409|AGRIS 0401|AL-Wheat Program

Juan Carlos Mendieta

CIMMYT Publications Collection