A study of genetic variability in central India durum wheats

Summary

Sixteen samples of the localdurum wheat from States in Central India were grown in a randomised varietal trial with five blocks for studying the genetic variability in the localdurum wheats. One hundred plants distributed evenly over all the replicates were labelled after the germination was complete. These plants were, when mature, harvested individually and tillers and ears per plant, number of grains per ear, weight of 100 grains and weight of grain and straw per plant recorded. From these observations, gross variability present in different samples was estimated. It is found that there are significant differences among the samples for gross variability. The following ten out of sixteen samples were selected on the basis of their gross variability and high mean values for estimating that portion of the variability which is genetic:-

Barwani white, Dhar local, Dewas Senior, Jaora local, Jhabua Kathia, Rajgarh Kotra white, Rajgarh Talain white, Ratlam white, Ratlam red and Indore white. Eighteen progenies from each of these ten samples were grown next year on three randomised blocks. All the attributes of yield were recorded on them and the regression of these progeny means on their parental values were calculated, and the results indicate that there is no genetic variability in most samples except in two, from Jhabua and Barwani States. Most of the gross variability is found to be environmental.

Selection can thus be effective only in Jhabua and Barwani local wheats, while for general improvement, hybridisation of local wheats with outside types would appear necessary.