Abstract only

Wheat is a very important crop in Azerbaijan as providing the population of the country with staple food. Total area under wheat in various regions exceeds 600 thousand ha annually. Therefore, multi- location trials of wheat entries of various geographic origin, have both the theoretical and practical value as contributing to identification of widely adapted varieties. CIMMYT/ICARDA nursery Winter Wheat East European Regional Yield Trial (WWEERYT) is especially important for studying and selecting improved wheat germplasm, as it supplies advanced breeding material from various countries ofthe world. Since the year of 1998, RI of Agriculture of Azerbaijan has received 6 WWEERYT nurseries from CIMMYT that included 339 bread wheat lines of different geographic origin. The data obtained from testing WWEERYT in various regions of the republic (Apsheron, Terter and Gobustan) suggested that most of the entries had winter and facultative growth habit and characterized by high winter-hardiness, susceptible (30-60S) and moderately susceptible ( 1 0-40MS) reaction to rust diseases, late and intermediate heading dates that varied within 130-145 and 150- 155 days (since January 1) under the conditions of irrigated lowlands (Apsheron and Terter) and dryland foothill zone (750m above sea level, Mountain Shir- van), respectively, short stature and low grain yield, which did not comply with the environment of Azerbaijan. Most of the entries, especially those of the 4th WWEERYT, were susceptible to yellow and brown rusts. Up to now, 27 promising bread wheat lines have been selected from the nurseries. Generally, the advanced wheat lines were selected from the 2nd and 5th WWEERYTs and were originated from Bulgaria, Hungary, Russia, Romania, the USA (Kansas, Oregon), Turkey, Ukraine and the Czech Republic. The selected entries that showed high adaptation to the local environment had winter and facultative growth habit and high winter hardiness. In terms of reaction to rust, they were grouped as resistant (O-R) and moderately resistant (MR-10MR). They were characterized by intermediate heading dates (135-140 days since January 1 ), short stature (88-100 cm), and high yield as under irrigation (more than 7.0 ton/ha) so under water stress (more than 5,0 ton/ha). The selected promising wheat lines were advanced to the competitive yield trial, which is planted in various regions of the republic. Thus, WWEERYT introduced by CIMMYT under a joint program with ICARDA and Ministry of Agriculture of Turkey, is of great importance for developing new wheat varieties with wide adaptation that can be grown in different environments of Azer- baijan.

English

0409|AGRIS 0401|AL-Wheat Program

Juan Carlos Mendieta

CIMMYT Publications Collection