Effect of genotype, environment and crop management on yield and quality traits in spring wheat

Abstract

One of the most effective pathways to meet global needs for the production of wheat grain is to focus on the interactions of genotype x environment x crop management. The development of methods to screen genotypes for a variety of responses to combinations of environmental and management scenarios will allow breeders and farmers to make better use of the genetic potential of genotypes. The objectives of this study were to determine the impact of the genotype, environment, crop management and their interactions on the yield and grain quality traits of 15 spring wheat genotypes evaluated across 7 locations at 2 crop management levels and evaluate the impact of considered effects in two groups of environments with favourable and unfavourable soil conditions for spring wheat growth. The yield and test weight of spring wheat were highly influenced by environmental effects. At the same time, the variation of quality traits especially those associated with the quantity and quality of grain protein was substantially influenced by crop management and genotype. Therefore, much lower influence of genotype and crop management on most of the studied traits was observed in the group of environments with unfavourable soil conditions than in those with favourable soil conditions.