PJB-2018-623
PERFORMANCE OF EIGHT TUNISIAN DURUM WHEAT (TRITICUM DURUM DESF.) GENOTYPES IN A SEMI-ARID ENVIRONMENT AT SEEDLING AND TILLERING STAGES, AND IDENTIFICATION OF SUITABLE DROUGHT-RESPONSIVE INDICES
SOUROUR AYED
Abstract
Several growth parameters of five Tunisian landraces (Biskri, Mahmoudi, Agili, Chili and Jeneh khotifa) and three improved genotypes (Karim, Nasr and Rezzak) of durum wheat (Triticum durum Desf.) growing in a semi-arid region of Tunisia were evaluated at the seedling stage: leaf number, tiller number, fresh root length, root fresh weight, root dry weight, root shoot ratio, shoot fresh weight, shoot dry weight, chlorophyll index and leaf area. Analysis of variance revealed a significant difference in most seedling traits, indicating notable genetic variability among the studied durum wheat genotypes. Principal component analysis explained 67% of the total variation in the Tunisian germplasm and could differentiate and characterize the genotypes Mahmoudi, Jeneh Khotifa and Biskri based on leaf area, root length, chlorophyll index and shoot dry length. Large genetic adaptability at an early growth stage distinguished these landraces. These results suggest that selection for these traits will be effective in a future wheat breeding program under rain-fed conditions.
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