Characteristics of the Indian dwarf wheat variety ‘Sakara’

Abstract

The current paper has described the method of developing a spring shot wheat variety (Triticum sphaerococcum Percival) Sakara and its characteristics. The purpose of the current study was to show the efficiency of the ongoing breeding work with Indian dwarf, using the variety ‘Sakara’ as an example, to increase grain productivity and resistance to leaf-stem fungal diseases, while maintaining the high grain quality characteristic of shot wheats. Research methods were adapted for shot wheat based on the methods adopted in spring bread wheat breeding. The developed variety has features characteristic for a species, namely a short strong non-lodging stem and, as a result, 9 points of lodging resistance; a shot kernel shape with 25.6 g of 1000-grain weight; a dense, non-drooping head; excellent quality indicators of grain and flour, according to most indicators corresponding to GOST 34702-2020 for strong wheat. The T. sphaerococcum species, due to its characteristic morphological features, has a lower grain productivity than T. aestivum, mean productivity of the variety ‘Sakara’ for three years of testing was 34 % less than that of the standard spring bread wheat variety ‘Yoldyz’. There has been shown that the developed variety in our soil-climatic zone is characterized by high field resistance to powdery mildew (2 points of resistance on average over the years), leaf rust (there were only single pustules during the years of a strong spread of the disease). With artificial infection of seeds with the inuclium of hard smut, the damage degree of the variety averaged 7 %. The first spring shot wheat variety ‘Sakara’ has been recommended in the State List of Breeding Achievements since 2023 for cultivation from 1 to 12 regions.