Differentiation of collection samples of bread winter wheat by number of spikelets per spike

Abstract

Purpose. To analyze the available collection of bread winter wheat by number of spikelets per spike for obtaining genotypes with hereditary more spikelets and high adaptability to abiotic factors by breeding. Methods. The study was carried out during 2010–2012 in field conditions of breeding crop rotation at the Cherkasy State Agricultural Research Station. Variability of agronomic traits was analyzed by elements of spike performance and yielding capacity. Studying and evaluating winter wheat collection material (87 variety samples of various ecological and geographical origin) were conducted on the methods of N. I. Vavilov Institute of Plant Industry and State Crop Variety Testing, mathematical processing of data was carried out according to B. A. Dospekhov and A. Afifi & S. Azen when using the programs Microsoft Excel and Statistica 6.0. Results. On average for three years, the number of spikelets per spike varied from 11.7 to 19.7 with mean value being 16.5. The most spikelets per spike was obtained in the Ukrainian variety samples Vilshana (19.0), Dekan (19.7), Znakhidka / KS93 WERCZ (19.3), the Germany ones SAMYRAJ (19.0), DROMOS (19.3) as well as AC MACKINNON (USA) (19.0), MILDA (Latvia) (18.0), SEDA (Lithuania) (18.0), and NS-124-01 (Serbia) (18.3). The least number of spikelets was observed in the varieties from the USA HATTON – 11.7, CARLISLE – 13.7, the Ukrainian varieties Dostatok – 12.7, Solokha – 14.3, Kryzhynka / SR – 13.7, as well as Volzhskaya (Russia) – 14.3. The number of spikelets per spike is varying enough trait over the years. No its correlation with duration of cropping season was found. There was observed the highest correlation between the number of spikelets per spike and the spike length (r = +0.57). Conclusions. The varieties studied were differentiated by number of spikelets per spike. There were ascertained significant correlation between number of spikelets per spike and spike length, weak reliable correlation with grain number per spike and grain weight per spike.