Agronomic Characters of Near-isogenic Lines of Durum Wheat (Triticum durum Desf.)

Abstract

The present study was conducted in order to analyze the effects of the genes for long glume (P), hairy glume (Hg), black glume (Bg), non-glaucousness (W1I) and purple culm (Pc) on 18 agronomic characters of durum wheat. Six near-isogenic lines (NILs, 10 backcrosses) and their recurrent parent LD222 were used. The experiment was carried out in the experimental field of the Agricultural University of Athens, Greece, over a period of two years. The NILs for P, W1I and Pc differed from LD222 in 14, 7 and 4 traits, respectively. These genes had no effect on plant height but exerted adverse effects on the grain yield traits. The P gene was associated with later heading, increased rachis length and 100-kernel weight, but lower grain yield and yield components. Although the data were not statistically significant, both W1I and Pc genes induced a lower grain yield which was accompanied by a reduction of the 100-kernel weight, kernel weight/spike and number of tillers. On the other hand, the introduction of either the Bg or Hg gene into the LD222 genetic background did not affect appreciably the agronomic traits studied.