EVALUATION OF SOME CULTIVARS AND LINES OF BREAD WHEAT UNDER LOW INPUT CONDITIONS

Abstract

The field experiment was conducted at Sakha Agricultural Research Station, ARC, Egypt during 2008/09 and 2009/10 wheat growing seasons. Eight genotypes of bread wheat were evaluated under irrigated as well as water stress with nitrogen fertilizer rates; 25, 50 and 75 kg N/fad. This study was performed as split-split plot design using four replications. Measurements were taken on grain yield and related traits. The stress susceptibility index was calculated. The results show that irrigation regime had highly significant effects on all characters, except for kernel weight in the second season. Moreover, all characters differed significantly among N application rates at active except for kernel weight in the second season. Highly significant genotype differences occurred for all characters in both seasons. Sids 12 recorded the highest grain yield in both seasons. Plants fertilized with 75 kg N/fad under normal irrigation recorded the highest grain yield compared with those under stress treatment in the first season. Sids 13 recorded the highest number of spikes/m 2 under normal irrigation in the first season. Line 2 recorded the heaviest kernel weight under normal irrigation without differences with Line 1 and Gemmeiza 11 under the same condition of irrigation in the first season. The highest number of kernels per spike was obtained from Sids 12 under normal irrigation in 2008/09 season. Sids 12, Shandaweel 1 and Sids 13 recorded the highest grain yield under normal irrigation in 2008/09 season. Sids 12 recorded the highest number of kernels per spike under 75 kg N/fad in the second season. Line 2, Sakha 93, Giza 168 and Sids 13 were the most tolerant genotype showing least reduction in grain yield (the lowest value of stress susceptibility index). In conclusion, these cultivars could be used in wheat breeding program to develop new bread wheat cultivars tolerant to water stress.