STUDIES ON MORPHO-PHYSIOLOGICAL TRAITS ASSOCIATED WITH MOISTURE - STRESS TOLERANCE IN BREAD WHEAT (Triticum aestivum L.)
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Date
2019-07-20
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CSKHPKV, Palampur
Abstract
The present study entitled, “Studies on morpho-physiological traits associated with moisture - stress tolerance in bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)” was undertaken with the objectives to study genetic variability for grain yield and morpho-physiological traits under moisture - stress conditions in bread wheat to find out suitable selection criteria for moisture stress tolerance under field and controlled conditions. The experimental material comprised of thirty one diverse genotypes including 27 bread wheat lines along with two triticale and one each of durum and barley. The data were recorded on the traits, namely, grain yield per plant (g), tillers per plant, grains per spike, 1000-grain weight (g), flag leaf area (cm²), plant height (cm), peduncle length (cm), days to 50 per cent flowering, days to 75 per cent maturity, biological yield per plant (g), harvest index (%), stem reserve mobilization (%), dry matter accumulation (g) under field conditions. Root length (cm), coleoptile length (cm), shoot length (cm), seedling dry weight (g) root-shoot ratio, seedling vigour index and index of drought resistance were recorded only under controlled conditions at seedling stage.
Analysis of variance revealed that mean squares due to genotypes were significant for all the traits studied under field and controlled conditions, which indicated the presence of sufficient genetic variability amongst genotypes for these traits. Grain yield per plant, tillers per plant and harvest index exhibited moderate estimates for PCV, GCV, heritability and genetic advance, indicating moderate response to selection under moisture stress conditions. Among the seedling traits, seedling dry weight exhibited high PCV and GCV coupled with high heritability and genetic advance, indicating importance of this trait for selection. Based on correlation and path analysis (direct and indirect contributions), grains /spike, biological yield and harvest index emerged to be the important selection criteria under moisture stress conditions. Flag leaf area, peduncle length and dry matter accumulation also appeared to be the important traits based on their direct or indirect contributions towards grain yield.
Most of the seedling traits showed positive correlations among themselves, but none (except positive correlation of coleoptile length with stem reserve mobilization) exhibited significant positive correlation with stem reserve mobilization, biological yield, harvest index and grain yield per plant at maturity, implying thereby that selection for seedling traits may not be fruitful to select high yielding genotypes under moisture - stress conditions. Elite genotypes viz., HPW 432, HPW 433, Tarmori, Kanku, Old Synthetic 26 and Old Synthetic 54 having good combination of important yield components and / or morpho-physiological traits could be utilized in the wheat improvement programme for enhancement of productivity under moisture - stress conditions.
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