Nitrogen Fertilizer Rate and Timing Effect on Bread Wheat Protein in Eastern Canada

Nitrogen management for production of bread quality wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.) in eastern Canada has received little research attention. An experiment was conducted for 2 years at each of two sites in Québec to study the effect of level and timing of nitrogen (N) fertilizer application on grain protein concentration, protein content per seed, non-protein seed dry matter, grain protein yield and nitrogen harvest index (portion of plant N in the grain) of four hard red spring wheat cultivars known to have potential as bread wheats in eastern Canada. The soil types were Bearbroock clay (fine, mixed, non-acid, frigid, Humaquept) and Ste-Rosalie clay (typic, non-acid, frigid, Humaquept). The experiment was a 4 × 4 × 2 factorial. Four cultivars were used: Columbus, Katepwa, Max and Hege 155–85. In both years 0, 60, 120 and 180 kg Nha⁻¹ were applied either all at seeding or 60 % at seeding and 40 % at heading. Grain protein concentration and grain protein yield increased consistently with increasing N fertilizer and with split N application. Nitrogen harvest index was not increased by increasing applications of N fertilizer. Protein content per seed was more critical in determining grain protein concentration than non-protein seed dry matter content. The western Canadian cultivars Columbus and Katepwa generally had greater grain protein concentration than the European cultivars Max and Hege 155–85, With reasonable N fertility the grain protein concentration of spring wheats grown in eastern Canada are sufficient for bread production.     

Nitrogen uptake and nitrogen harvest index in durum wheat cultivars varying in their grain protein concentration

Summary In a field experiment, plant (excluding roots) and grain nitrogen at harvest were estimated in 15 durum wheat cultivars varying in their grain protein concentration. They showed significant variation in grain yield, grain protein concentration, biological yield, total plant nitrogen at harvest and residual nitrogen in straw. Harvest index and nitrogen harvest index were calculated from this primary data. Nitrogen harvest index varied from 57 to 83%. Plant nitrogen showed significant positive correlation with biological yield, grain yield and grain protein yield, but the correlations with grain protein concentration, harvest index and nitrogen harvest index were not significant. Nitrogen harvest index was positively correlated with harvest index indicating that the distribution of N between straw and grain to a large extent, but not entirely, depends upon the partitioning of dry matter between the two. Grain protein concentration was neither correlated significantly to plant nitrogen nor to nitrogen harvest index.     

Genetic gains in Nordic spring barley breeding over sixty years

Accurate assessments of genetic gains ensuing from plant breeding for the most important agronomic characteristics in Nordic spring barley (Hordeum vulgareL.) are not available. Hence this research was aimed to determine the rate of genetic improvement in the Nordic barley breeding pool. This study included 90, 2-row spring barley cultivars released (1942–1988) and29, 6-row spring barley cultivars released(1930–1991) adopted by Nordic farmers that were tested in four Nordic locations for three consecutive years. Relative genetic gain owing to plant breeding was 13% in2-row barley and 34% in 6-row barley for grain yield. The absolute gain for this characteristic was 13 ± 3 kg ha^-1 year ^-1 in 2-row barley, and22 ± 3 kg ha^-1 year^-1 in6-row barley. Improved yield was achieved in Nordic barley by reducing plant height(0.20 ± 0.04 cm year^-1 for 2-rowbarley and 0.16 ± 0.06 cm year^-1for 6-row cultivars), thereby reducing significantly lodging (0.5 ± 0.1%year^-1 and 0.4 ± 0.1year^-1), and increasing significantly the harvest index (0.0008 ± 0.0002year^-1 and 0.0018 ± 0.0002year^-1). Additionally, in 2-row spring barley cultivars resistance to powdery mildew (0.19 ± 0.08% year^-1)and thousand-kernel weight (0.07 ±0.03 g year^-1) were also significantly enhanced, whereas hectoliter weight was improved (0.06 ± 0.02 kg year^-1)in 6-row barley cultivars in the period investigated. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Genetic improvement in wheat yield and associated traits. A re-examination of previous results and the latest trends

Two field experiments were carried out with seven wheat cultivars (three of them, including a commercial hybrid, released during the last 10 years) representing different eras of plant breeding, to evaluate genetic improvement over the last century in grain yield, height, biomass, harvest index and grain yield components. Plots were fertilized and irrigated, and lodging and diseases were prevented. Main culm height was negatively correlated with the year of release of the cultivars, probably as a consequence of selection for increased lodging resistance. There was no significant association between total above-ground biomass and year of release of the cultivars. On the other hand, grain yield increased as newer cultivars were released. Results indicate that during recent years harvest index has been kept as the main attribute responsible for increases in grain yield. In general, number of grains/m² was associated with increases in grain yield during the century. However, the newest cultivars showed an increased grain weight. In both growing seasons, cultivars released before 1980 showed a trend towards reduced grain weight, but cultivars released after 1987 had a similar number of grains per m² with a higher grain weight than their predecessors. This was probably because the most modern cultivars have a longer grain-filling duration with a similar length of growth cycle.     

Relationship between grain yield and grain nitrogen concentration in winter triticale

Summary Ten hexaploid winter triticale lines were grown for two cropping periods at three locations in western Switzerland. Averaged across the six environments, the differences between lines were statistically significant (P=0.05) for grain yield, above-ground biomass, N uptake, grain N yield, nitrogen harvest index, grain N concentration and straw N concentration. There were significant line x environment interactions for all traits. Grain yield and grain N concentration were inversely related (r=–0.74^**). Diagrams in which grain yields were plotted against grain N concentration were used to identify lines with a consistently unusual combination of grain yield and grain N concentration. Despite comparable grain yields, Line 3 had a high grain N concentration, while that of Line 7 was low. Line 3 was superior to Line 7 in both N uptake and N harvest index. Averaged across environments and lines, the N harvest index was 0.73 which corresponds to N harvest indices reported for bread wheat in the same region. We considered the feasibility of developing triticale lines which would outperform the best recent ones in N uptake and partitioning. However, we doubted that this would bring about a marked increase in grain N concentration, because, in the long run, the expected genetic progress in grain yield will lead to a dilution of grain protein by grain carbohydrate increments.Abbreviations GNC grain N concentration - GNY grain N yield - GY grain yield - HI above-ground dry matter harvest index - NHI nitrogen harvest index - SNC straw N concentration - TB total above-ground biomass - TPN total plant N     

春小麦不同品质类型氮的吸收、转化利用及与籽粒产量和蛋白质含量的关系

以不同品质类型春小麦为材料,研究产量和蛋白质形成过程中营养体各器官氮的水平动态以及氮的转化和利用效率。结果表明,植株营养体各器官干物质总的积累趋势为开花期开始增加,达高峰后逐渐下降至成熟;氮的含量变化为开花期最高,随籽粒灌浆逐渐下降,成熟时降至最低。籽粒氮含量变化呈“V”型曲线,籽粒氮素积累呈“S”型     

黑龙江省不同年代玉米杂交种氮肥利用效率对种植密度和施氮水平的响应

以黑龙江省近50年来第I积温带大面积种植的8个典型春玉米品种为材料,于2009-2010年进行密度和施肥的田间试验,比较不同年代主栽品种氮肥偏生产力(PFP)、氮肥农学效率(NAE)、氮肥吸收利用率(NRE)及主要器官氮含量对密度和氮素的响应差异。结果显示,1970s-2000s品种更替过程中,PFP和NRE呈递增趋势,增幅分别为3.41 kg kg^-1 10年^-1和2.26个百分点10年^-1。NAE在1970s-1990s呈显著递增趋势,之后呈下降趋势。氮收获指数随年代递增呈显著下降趋势,平均每10年下降1.51个百分点;茎、叶和籽粒氮积累量随年代推进呈显著递增趋势,平均每10年分别递增0.09、0.07和0.12 g株^-1;上述各主要指标在年代、密度和氮肥水平之间存在显著的互作效应。各年代品种的氮肥利用效率均随氮肥水平的提高而显著下降,随密度的增加呈抛物线形变化趋势,最高效率值出现在50 000-70 000株 hm^-2范围内,现代品种的最高氮效率的种植密度高于老品种。各年代品种籽粒、叶片、茎氮素积累量和氮收获指数随密度增加呈显著递减趋势。各年代品种籽粒、茎和叶片氮素积累量随施氮量增加呈增加趋势,施氮量对氮收获指数影响各年代品种表现不同。上述结果表明,品种改良的氮肥增效潜力较大。在现有的品种状况下,增密不仅可以增产,而且可以显著提高肥料效率。     

Genetic improvement in grain yield potential and associated agronomic traits of tef (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Eragrostis tef</Emphasis>)

A yield potential experiment was conducted with one farmers variety and 10 improved varieties released over the periods 1960–1995 to estimate the progress made in improving grain yield potential and to determine changes produced on agronomic traits associated with genetic yield potential improvement. The experiment was conducted at the Debre Zeit Agricultural Research Center, Debre Zeit, Ethiopia, on two soil types in the 1997 main cropping season, using a randomized complete block design with three replications. Evaluation of cultivars from different eras in a common environment has been used to estimate breeding progress. Optimum levels of fertilizers and full weed and bird control programs were used. Netting was used to prevent lodging. Data on grain yield and its attributes were determined. Grain yield of tef was estimated to have risen for 35 years of breeding from 3425 to 4599 kg/ha. Biomass yield and kernel weight per main panicle were greater in newer cultivars, highly and linearly related to cultivar age, and positively and significantly correlated to grain yield. Number of spikelets per panicle is also greater in newer cultivars and significantly and positively correlated with grain yield. Improved plant height, panicle length and kernels per panicle were a feature of most modern genotypes. However, no change occurred in harvest index and 100-kernel weight. Results of a stepwise regression analysis of grain yield on selected yield components revealed that biomass yield was the single most important yield attribute, which accounted for 56.7% of the variation in grain yield.     

Simultaneous selection for early maturity, increased grain yield and elevated grain protein content in spring wheat

High grain yield and grain protein content, and early maturity are important traits in global bread wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.)-breeding programmes. Improving these three traits simultaneously is difficult due to the negative association between grain yield and grain protein content and the positive association between maturity and grain yield. We investigated the genetic relationship between maturity, grain yield and grain protein content in a population of 130 early maturing spring wheat lines in a high latitude (52–53°N) wheat-growing region of Canada. Grain protein content exhibited negative genetic correlation with maturity (−0.87), grain fill duration (−0.78), grain fill rate (−0.49), grain yield (−0.93) and harvest index (−0.71). Grain yield exhibited positive genetic correlation with maturity (0.69), rate (0.78) and duration (0.49) of grain fill, and harvest index (0.55). Despite the positive association between maturity and grain yield, and negative association between grain yield and grain protein content, higher yielding lines with medium maturity and higher grain protein content were identified. Broad-sense heritabilities were low (<0.40) for rate and duration of grain fill, grain protein content, spike per m², grains per spike, harvest index and grain yield, and medium to high (>0.40) for grain weight, days to anthesis and maturity, and plant height. Selection for longer preanthesis and shorter grain fill periods may help circumvent the negative association between grain yield and grain protein content. Selection for shorter grain fill periods and higher grain fill rate may be a useful strategy for developing early maturing cultivars with acceptable grain yields in northern wheat-growing regions.     

Soil Type Influences Relative Yield of Barley and Wheat in a Mediterranean-type Environment

In the eastern wheatbelt of Western Australia the yield of barley relative to wheat is influenced by soil type. Field trials studied detailed aspects of growth, development, yield and water use of a range of barley and wheat cultivars on 2 soil types at 2 locations to identify those factors that lead to the differential relative yields.
Barley had greater grain yields than wheat on both fine and coarse textured soils. On both soil types barley had a greater number of mainstem leaves which appeared faster than those of wheat and this was associated with greater tillering (6.5 v. 3.5 shoots/plant), higher GAI and greater dry matter production (845 v. 804 g/ m). The difference in yield between the two species was greater on the fine textured soil (15 v. 7 %). Barley also had greater harvest index than wheat (6—15%), and this combined with greater dry matter production on the fine textured soil led to a larger yield advantage over wheat than occurred on the coarse textured soil. Water use efficiency was greater for barley than for wheat on both soils.
The greater yield advantage of barley over wheat on the fine textured soil was the result of greater biomass production by barley and greater harvest index. Differences in pattern of water use, and water use efficiency of grain production were associated with greater barley yields but are not themselves considered to be the cause of relative yield differences across soil types. The possible implications of factors such as intrinsic nutrient supply on the 2 soil types in relation to observed yield differences are discussed.     

Modeling for recommending panicle nitrogen topdressing rates for yield and milled-rice protein content

This experiment was conducted to calibrate models for recommending panicle N fertilizer rate for target grain yield and milled-rice protein content based on not only rice growth and N nutrition status at panicle initiation stage (PIS) but also on weather conditions. Five rice cultivars; Chucheongbyeo, Daeanbyeo, Hwasungbyeo, Surabyeo, and Juanbyeo, were grown under various N fertilizer application rates. Shoot N accumulation at PIS (Pnup) was measured before panicle N application at PIS and at harvest. Grain yield, yield component, and milled-rice protein content were measured at harvest. Three models for prescribing panicle N fertilizer rate were calibrated by stepwise multiple linear regression (SMLR) analysis. The model for shoot N accumulation from PIS to harvest (PHnup) was calibrated using Pnup, panicle N application rate, and weather variables like air temperature and solar radiation. Models for grain yield and milled-rice protein content were calibrated using Pnup, PHnup, and weather variables. The models for PHnup, grain yield, and milled-rice protein content showed acceptable accuracy and precision with R² of 0.78, 0.85, and 0.77, respectively. The stability of the models was tested through the comparison of slopes between the observed and the predicted values in different conditions of temperature, radiation, and cultivar. The models for PHnup and grain yield showed homogeneity of slopes between the observed and the predicted values regardless of different temperature, radiation conditions, and cultivars. The model for milled-rice protein content showed homogeneity of slopes between the observed and the predicted values across low and high temperature and radiation conditions while the slopes were significantly different among cultivars. The oldest cultivar “Chucheongbyeo” being significantly different from the other four cultivars recently improved. In conclusion, the three models were precise and accurate enough to be used effectively for prescribing panicle N topdressing rate if Pnup could be measured timely with a cost-effective method.     

Thermal phenotyping of stomatal sensitivity in spring barley

Thermometry and thermography are alternative methods used for measuring stomatal conductivity via transpirative cooling. However, the influence of mixed soil–plant information contained in thermal images compared to thermometric spot measurements on the measurement quality and relationships to agronomic traits remains unclear. To evaluate their respective influence, canopy temperature was measured simultaneously by two infrared thermometers (thermometry), which were oriented oblique to the plant canopy and mounted on a tractor, and a hand‐held, nadir oriented thermal camera (thermography) in irrigated and drought‐stressed spring barley cultivar trials in 2011. Canopy temperatures were separated from soil temperatures and extracted from the thermal images by matching thermal and RGB images. Thermometric measurements conducted at the beginning of shooting during a stable period of high radiation were more closely related to total plant biomass and straw yield at harvest than thermography under both irrigated and drought‐stressed conditions. Taking into account the results of this evaluation, thermometry was used for assessing the agronomic importance of stomatal sensitivity, the earliness of stomatal closure, of spring barley cultivars subjected to different water supply in 2013. In this year, 16 spring barley cultivars were grown under mild drought stress and rainfed conditions. A stomatal sensitivity index was derived relating canopy temperatures of the cultivars grown under rainfed and drought‐stressed conditions to each other. Under rainfed conditions, stomatal sensitivity was negatively related to grain protein yield with a coefficient of determination of R² = .43. Under increasing terminal drought stress, positive regression slopes of stomatal sensitivity to grain yield, biomass yield and culms/m² were observed with coefficients of determination amounting to R² = .22, .31 and .36, respectively. Stomatal sensitivity negatively impacts agricultural production under well‐watered conditions, but maintains productivity under conditions of terminal drought.     

The Effect of Late-terminal Drought Stress on Yield Components of Four Barley Cultivars

Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) is an important winter cereal crop grown in the semiarid Mediterranean, where late‐terminal drought stress during grain filling has recently become more common. The objectives of this study were to investigate the growth performance and grain yield of four barley cultivars under late‐terminal drought stress under both glasshouse and field conditions. At grain filling, four barley cultivars (Rum, ACSAD176, Athroh and Yarmouk) were exposed to three watering treatments: (1) well‐watered [soil maintained at 75 % field capacity (FC)], (2) mild drought stress at 50 % FC, (3) severe drought stress at 25 % FC in the glasshouse experiment and (1) well‐watered (irrigated once a week), (2) mild drought (irrigated once every 2 weeks), (3) severe drought (non‐irrigated; rainfed) in the field. As drought stress severity increased, gross photosynthetic rate, water potential, plant height, grain filling duration, spike number per plant, grain number per spike, 1000‐grain weight, straw yield, grain yield and harvest index decreased. In the glasshouse experiment, the six‐row barley cultivars (Rum, ACSAD176, and Athroh) had higher grain yield than the two‐row barley cultivar (Yarmouk), but the difference was not significant among the six‐row cultivars under all treatments. In the field experiment, Rum had the highest grain yield among all cultivars under the mild drought stress treatment. The two‐row cultivar (Yarmouk) had the lowest grain yield. In general, the traditional cultivar Rum had either similar or higher grain yield than the other three cultivars under all treatments. However, the yield response to drought differed between the cultivars. Those, Rum and ACSAD176, that were capable of maintaining a higher proportion of their spikes and grains per spike during drought also maintained a higher proportion of their yield compared with those in well‐watered treatment. In conclusion, cultivar differences in grain yield were related to spike number per plant and grain number per spike, but not days to heading or grain filling duration.     

Transgressive segregation in inter and intraspecific crosses of barley

Summary Six populations of F₂-derived lines of barley and their parents were evaluated for heading date, plant height, grain yield, bundle weight, and harvest index in a replicated experiment in the field. These data were used to estimate the minimum number of effective factor pairs segregating for each trait, the number of favorable factors contributed by each parent in a cross, and the frequencies and magnitudes of transgressive segregates.Heading date, plant height, and harvest index were controlled by three to four effective factor pairs, whereas grain yield and bundle weight were controlled by five or more.All three H. spontaneum strains used in our study contributed one or more useful genes for each of the traits, grain yield, heading date, plant height, bundle weight, and harvest index. Therefore, it seems that H. spontaneum can be a useful source of favorable genes for quantitative traits, especially for grain yield, which could be incorporated into barley varieties readily by backcrossing. Transgressive segregates for grain yield in the interspecific crosses may provide the basic materials for improving the productivity of cultivated barley varieties.Journal Paper No. J-9760 of the Iowa Agric. and Home Econ. Exp. Stn., Ames, IA 50011. Project 2227. Supported in part by a grant from the Science and Education Administration-Cooperative Research, United States Department of Agriculture.     

The Effects of Ethephon, Chlormequat Chloride and Mixtures of Ethephon and Chlormequat Chloride Applied at the Beginning of Stem Elongation on Spike-Bearing Shoots and other Yield Components of Spring Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.)

Effects of chlormequat chloride (CCC), ethephon and mixtures of CCC and ethephon, applied at Zadoks growth stage (ZGS) 30 (the beginning of stem elongation) on the number of spike-bearing shoots and their contribution to grain yields of four spring barley ( Hordeum vulgare L.) cultivars were studied in 1987 and 1988 at McGill University, Quebec, Canada. The results varied between years and among cultivars. The mixtures of CCC and ethephon or ethephon alone, produced significant increases in the number of spikes m⁻² in cultivars Joly and Laurier , in both years, and in Leger only in 1988. Ethephon and ethephon containing mixtures reduced the yields of Joly and Leger in 1988. In both years CCC had no effect on spikes m⁻² for all cultivars. Increases in spikes m⁻² were accompanied by decreases in 1000-grain weight, and/or grains per spike, which offset or more than offset potential benefits from increased spikes m⁻². These results indicate that under continental climatic conditions such as those prevalent in Quebec, Canada, application of PGRs to spring barley at ZGS 30 does not increase grain yield through an increased number of spikes m⁻².     

Genetic variation for dry matter and nitrogen accumulation and translocation in two-rowed spring barley II. Nitrogen translocation

An understanding of the partition between pre-anthesis and post-anthesis N uptake and their contribution to total grain N and protein content in spring two-rowed barley (Hordeum vulgare spp. distichum L.) is important to achieve additional breeding progress for both fodder and malting barley. N translocation from the vegetative tissues at anthesis to the kernel, N translocation efficiency, and N harvest index (NHI) were studied in field experiments during 4 years (1995–1998). Plants were harvested at anthesis and maturity and divided into leaf+culm, chaff and grain. Significant cultivar differences in N translocation, N translocation efficiency and NHI were determined. Across cultivars, the highest N translocation was in a favorable year (93 kg ha⁻¹) and the lowest in a year with poor growing conditions (40 kg ha⁻¹). Cultivar differences in N translocation were related to dry matter and pre-anthesis N accumulation (R²>0.70). N translocation efficiency varied more among the cultivars (0.27–0.66) than years (0.47–0.52). Post-anthesis N uptake was negatively correlated (P<0.01) with N translocation. NHI ranged among the cultivars from 0.49 to 0.73 and among the years from 0.57 to 0.74. The cultivars Arapiles, Schooner, Cantala, Kaskade and Pek stored in the grain more than 70% and Hiproly less than 50% of above-ground N at maturity. Translocated N participated with 85, 56, 42, and 61% in grain N in 1995, 1996, 1997, and 1998, respectively. The ratio of translocated N to grain N could be an indicator of growing conditions; a higher ratio indicates good growing conditions over the entire growth period, a lower ratio indicates poor conditions during pre-anthesis, and a medium ratio indicates some temperature and water deviations from the long-term average. Straw N concentration was in significant positive (P<0.01) correlation with N translocation and translocation efficiency. Straw N concentration adequately represents N efficiency utilization for synthesis of grain protein, and because it saves time and money compared to N harvest index determination, it can be used for the testing of breeding materials for the development of new barley cultivars.     

The use of grain protein deviation for identifying wheat cultivars with high grain protein concentration and yield

The relationship between grain protein concentration and grain yield in different cultivars of winter wheat was examined in a series of field experiments carried out over three years, in which 13, 12 and 8 cultivars were studied in each year, respectively. The plants were grown at sites located in Shropshire, west-central England, in years 1 and 2, and at three other locations in eastern England in year 3. Above ground plant samples were collected at an thesis and again at maturity, when they were separated into grain and straw, and analysed for dry matter and N content. Analysis of residuals from regression of grain protein concentration on grain yield (grain protein deviation, GPD) showed that some cultivars had a higher grain protein concentration than was predicted from grain yield alone. It was deduced that the capacity to accumulate a higher grain protein concentration than predicted from grain yield is under genetic control and thus may be improved through breeding. Other factors (weight of N accumulated in the biomass at anthesis, weight of N accumulated in the biomass between anthesis and maturity and the concentration of N remaining in the straw at maturity) were added step-wise into the regression to enable statistical analysis of their relative contributions to grain protein. High GPD may be achieved through increased N accumulation after anthesis, combined with efficient re-translocation of vegetative N reserves. The use of GPD provides a selection criteria in wheat breeding programs to screen for increased grain protein concentration without a concurrent grain yield reduction. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Variation in Rate and Duration of Growth Among Spring Barley Cultivars1

Ten two-rowed spring barley cultivars (Hordeum vulgare L.) were evaluated for growth parameters, i.e. crop growth rate, crop growth duration, grain filling rate, grain filling duration, vegetative growth rate, vegetative growth duration, single caryopsis filling rate, single caryopsis filling duration. Field studies were conducted on a sandy loam at Hohenschulen, Northern Germany with three levels of nitrogen fertilization and three sowing rates in 1986 to 1988. Cultivar effects were observed for all growth parameters except for crop growth rate and vegetative growth rate. But only crop growth duration n and grain filling duration showed positive correlations with grain yield. No growth rate parameter was related to yield. Biomass was correlated to crop growth duration and not to crop growth rate, while average caryopsis weight was strongly related to caryopsis filling rate and only moderately to caryopsis filling duration. Comparing grain filling rate and duration to individual caryopsis filling rate and duration, only grain filling rate and duration appeared to be relevant to grain yield. Since genetic variability for crop growth rate was lacking in the spring barley material tested, further improvement of yield would only result from increase in harvest index and/or longer crop growth duration.     

Analysis of the yield potential and yield components of F1 and F2 hybrids of crosses between wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and spelt (Triticum spelta L.)

Summary Crosses of wild barley (Hordeum vulgare ssp. spontaneum and Hordeum vulgare ssp. agriocrithon) with Hordeum vulgare ssp. vulgare were used to select high yielding grain types under dryland Mediterranean conditions. No special difficulties were faced in making the crosses, in eliminating the brittle rachis genes from the grain types or in selecting 6-rowed types in crosses between 2-rowed wild barley and 6-rowed ssp. vulgare varieties. Brittle rachis genotypes, present in the segregating populations were used in developing self-reseeding permanent pastures for dry areas. The best selections were tested in seven trials during 1989–92 and some of them outyielded their parents and also the best improved check variety by 13–22%. Indications for transgressive segregation were obtained for grain yield, straw yield, total biological yield, harvest index and volume weight. The crude protein content of some of the selections was significantly higher than that of the checks. For breeding programs aiming at large seeds, special ssp. spontaneum lines should be used as parents. High grain yield was positively correlated with high straw yield, total biological yield, earliness in heading date, high harvest index and negatively with volume weight. It was concluded that unexploited useful genes, even when not directly observed in wild barley, could be transfered easily into high yielding genotypes by breeding.     

Genetic improvement trends in agronomic performances and end-use quality characteristics among hard red winter wheat cultivars in Nebraska

Evaluation of wheat cultivars from different eras allows breeders to determine changes in agronomic and end-use quality characteristics associated with grain yield and end-use quality improvement over time. The objective of this research was to examine the trends in agronomic and end-use quality characteristics of hard red winter wheat cultivars grown in Nebraska. Thirty historically important and popular hard red winter wheat cultivars introduced or released between 1874 and 2000 were evaluated at Lincoln, Mead and North Platte, Nebraska in 2002 and 2003. An alpha lattice design with 15 incomplete blocks of two plots and three replications was used at all locations. Agronomic (days to flowering, plant height, spike length, culm length, grain yield and yield components, and grain volume weight) and end-use quality (flour yield, SDS-sedimentation value, flour protein content, and mixograph time and tolerance) traits were measured in each environment. Highly significant differences were observed among environments, genotypes and their interactions for most agronomic and end-use quality characteristics. Unlike modern cultivars, older cultivars were low yielding, and less responsive to favorable environments for grain yield and yield components. Semidwarf cultivars were more stable for plant height than traditional medium to tall cultivars. All cultivars had high grain volume weight since it is part of the grading system and highly selected for in cultivar release. Modern cultivars were less stable than older cultivars for SDS-sedimentation and mixing tolerance. However, the stability of older cultivars was attributed to their having weak mixing tolerance and reduced SDS-sedimentation values. The reduced protein content of modern cultivars was offset by increased functionality, as measured by mixograph and SDS sedimentation. In conclusion, breeders have tailored agronomic and end-use quality traits essential for hard red winter wheat production and marketing in Nebraska.