Performance of wheat germplasm in competitive versus non-competitive conditions

Abstract

Selection of high yielding spring wheat (Triticum aestivum) genotypes, is the goal for most classical breeding programs in the United States. In a single seed descent breeding program intense selection is practiced in space planted nurseries, although the ultimate goal is to have high yields in a densely seeded situation. The first objective of this study was to determine the correlations between physiological traits and yield influencing traits to final crop yield. The second objective was to determine if there are correlations between physiological and yield influencing traits in space versus dense seeded spring wheat. A replicated field trial was grown in Bozeman, Montana over two successive years. The trial was done to correlate physiological traits and yield components to the plot weight of 20 different spring wheat varieties. Space and dense seeded conditions were used to determine if physiological and yield trait data from a space seeded plot correlated to a densely seeded plot. The data shows that many of the physiological and yield influencing traits are correlated to spring wheat yields. Also, many of these traits correlate between space and densely seeded plots. This experiment also shows that screening for key traits, such as grain fill period, harvest index, and leaf width, could significantly aid selection of space planted breeding material for yield potential in a single seed descent breeding program.