EVALUATION OF SOME EGYPTIAN AND SYRIAN BREAD WHEAT GENOTYPES FOR GRAIN YIELD AND ITS CONTRIBUTING TRAITS UNDER VARIABLE ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS

Abstract

The present study was conducted at both Exp. and Res. Stat. of Fac. of Agric., Ain Shams Univ., at Shalakan, Kalubia Governorate and private farm at Snores, Fayoum Governorate, during the two growing seasons of 2014-15 and 2015-16. The results revealed that all traits were significantly influenced by seasons, locations and N-fertilization treatments, except heading date, which was not affected by nitrogen treatments. Mean squares due to genotypes and their interactions with seasons, locations and N-fertilization were highly significant for all traits. The mean performance of wheat genotypes in the second season significantly surpassed the first one for all traits except harvest index. Planting wheat genotypes at Shalakan attained significant increases in flag leaf area, number of spikes plant, number of grains spike-1, 1000-kernel weight, harvest index and grain yield plant-1. Applying 50 kg N fed-1 + bio-fertilizer treatment gave the highest mean values of number of spikes plant-1 , harvest index and grain yield plant-1, while the treatment 75 kg N fed-1 gave the highest mean values of flag leaf area, number of grains spike-1 and 1000-kernel weight. Correlation studies revealed that highly significant and positive phenotypic correlations were detected between grain yield plant-1 and each of heading date, plant height, flag leaf area, number of spikes plant-1, number of grains spike-1, 1000-kernel weight and harvest index. The analysis of path coefficient indicated that a number of grains spike-1 and 1000-kernel weight seemed to be the most effective selection criteria in wheat breeding programs.