Genetic variability, heritability and genetic advance for important quantitative traits of durum wheat: Part I

Rangel Dragov, Zlatina Uhr and Evgeniy Dimitrov

Abstract: The experiments were conducted under field conditions in the breeding-experimental field of Field Crops Institute - Chirpan in four consecutive years. It was used randomized block design in three replications. The accepted technology for growing durum wheat has been applied. Nine quantitative traits were studied, seven of them being elements of productivity and the other two being related to grain quality. The aim of this study was to establish genetic variability, heritability and genetic advance in five modern durum wheat varieties crossed in a diallel design and their F1 generations. Significant genetic variability was found among the 15 tested genotypes for all studied traits. The genotype-environment interaction was statistically significant for all traits with predominantly larger PCVs than GCVs. The traits plant height, productivity tillering, main spike length, grains number per main spike, grains weight per main spike, thousand grain weight were characterized by high heritability (h2 BS%) over 60% and high genetic advance (GA%) over 20%. For the traits characterizing the grain quality of durum wheat was established, moderate heritability and low genetic advance, which makes the effective selection difficult. Additive gene effects control plant height, productivity tillering, main spike length, grains number per main spike, grain weight per main spike and thousand grain weight. An effective selection of genotype by phenotype can be applied to them. This information will be useful in the implementation of breeding programs to improve durum wheat

Keywords: Durum Wheat; Genetic Advance; Genetic variability; Heritability; Quantitative traits

Date published: 2022-08-19