P.D. Jamieson.
The wheat simulation model Sirius has now
been validated for several sites and a variety of irrigation and
N-fertilizer treatments in the U.K. and New Zealand and accurately
predicts biomass accumulation, water use, grain yield, N uptake,
and grain N in most circumstances. A description of the model
is soon to be published (Jamieson et al. 1996c). The model will
be used to assess regional variation of wheat yield in Europe
and to assess the likely impact of climate change on the performance
of crops for a selection of sites in New Zealand. A simple model
of grain filling, based on the concept that the harvest index
(HI) changes linearly with time, has been tested with data from
a variety of crops in New Zealand and the U.K. (Moot et al. 1996).
The analysis showed that, in most circumstances, HI changed by
about 1 % per day during grain filling, so that variations in
grain yield were associated mostly with the amount of biomass
present at flowering and the duration of grain filling. However,
the model broke down in low N fertility conditions. Analysis of
the variation of MDD baking quality data versus weather over a
period of years showed that high quality in spring wheat was associated
with low rainfall and high temperatures during grain filling (Salinger
et al. 1995) and that cool temperatures and rain during this period
decreased quality. This suggests that N management is critical
when these latter conditions occur.
Publications.
Jamieson PD and Wilson DR. 1993. Physiological and
agronomic limits to wheat yield and quality. Agron Soc NZ Special
Pub No. 8. pp. 25-32.
Salinger MJ, Jamieson PD, and Johnstone JV. 1995.
Climate variability and wheat baking quality. NZ J Crop Hort Sci
23:289-298.
Moot DJ, Jamieson PD, Henderson AL, Ford MA, and Porter JR. 1996. Rate of change of harvest index during grain filling in wheat. J Agric Sci, Camb (In Press).
Jamieson PD, Brooking IR, and Porter JR. 1995. How
temperature and daylength determine flowering time in spring wheat.
Proc Agron Soc NZ 25:(In press).
Jamieson PD, Brooking IR, and Porter JR. 1996a. A
new model of spring wheat phenological response to temperature
and daylength. Proc 8th Aus Agron Conf, Brisbane. Pp. 337-340.
Jamieson PD, Martin RJ, Francis GS, and Porter JR.
1996b. Analysing wheat biomass and grain yield response to drought
using AFRCWHEAT2. Proc 8th Aus Agron Conf, Brisbane. p. 669.
Jamieson PD, Semenov MA, Brooking IR, and Francis
GS. 1996c. Sirius: a mechanistic model of wheat response
to environmental variation. Field Crops Res (In press).
REGIONAL AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE
Agronomic Research Station, Bahawalpur, Pakistan.
M.S. Cheema and M. Hussain.
Wheat production.
Although an increase in wheat production in Pakistan
has been recorded in recent years, its production has not kept
pace with actual need. Wheat production was 15.1 mmt in the year
1993-94, reached a level of 16.7 mmt in the year 1994-95,
but the total requirements far exceed actual production. Consequently,
the government of Pakistan has planned to import 2.0 mmt in the
year 1995-96 to meet the consumption requirements. Wheat
demands of Afghanistan also are met from Pakistan, and there is
an increased use within Pakistan, because of a population growth
rate of 3.1 % annually. Wheat is the staple food crop of Pakistan
and is the cheapest source of food grain. The present fixed price
of domestic wheat by the government is Rs. 165 ($6 US) per 40
kg (1 maund), whereas the cost of imported wheat is about Rs.
231.50 ($8.50 US) per 40 kg. Growing wheat is not attractive economically,
because of high inputs and low net return compared to other food
crops. Big farmers are reluctant to grow wheat and prefer to grow
other crops like sunflower, maize, vegetables, and fodder crops,
or leave their fields fallow until the next (Kharif) season. However,
small farmers will grow wheat for their household consumption.
Breeding of wheat genotypes in Pakistan during 1994-95.
Wheat is grown in all the four provinces of Pakistan,
but the Punjab province is the main contributor with 70 % of the
total production. In the Punjab province, wheat is planted at
normal (November) and late (December-January) times. Late sowing
is needed because cotton and rice are harvested late in the season.
So, genotypes are specified for normal or late planting. In addition,
cultivars also are bred for irrigated and rainfed areas.
Cultivars for the rainfed areas of the Punjab province
include `Pothwar-94', pedigree `Ures/BOW
`S'', a good-tillering cultivar that is resistant
to leaf rust and has good grain quality and `Kohsar-95',
pedigree `PSN `S'/BOW `S'',
a high-yielding cultivar resistant to leaf and yellow rusts.
Cultivars for the irrigated areas of the Punjab province
include `Parwaz-94', pedigree `V.5648/PRL
`S'', a short duration cultivar, resistant
to leaf rust, with good grain quality, and recommended for late
planting; `SR-95', pedigree `S.A.42/V.1299',
is recommended for normal sowing, is tolerant to leaf and yellow
rusts, and has good grain quality; `Shahkar-95',
pedigree `VL 711//F 3.71/TRM', is a leaf and yellow
rust-resistant cultivar with good grain quality and recommended
for late sowing; and `Bahawalpur-95', pedigree
`AU/UP 301//GLL/SX/3/PEW `S'/4/MAI `S'/MAYA
`S'//PEW', is a high-yielding cultivar resistant
to leaf rust, tolerant to lodging, with good grain-filling ability
in hot seasons, and good for chapati making.
I.C.C.P.T. - RESEARCH INSTITUTE FOR CEREALS AND INDUSTRIAL CROPS
Fundulea, 8264, jud. Calarasi, Romania.
Association of Fusarium scab resistance with the 1D gliadin locus.
N.N. Saulescu, Mariana Ittu, Gh. Ittu, and P. Mustatea.
The AUDPC and the relative weight of artificially
inoculated spikes (% of noninoculated controls) were determined
in 1995 for over 100 near-homozygous recombinant lines, obtained
through an SSD-like procedure from the cross `Sincron/F1054W2.'
Lines also were characterized for several marker loci, such as
Rht-1(Gai), Rht8, Gli-1B, and Gli-1D.
A large variation was found for both AUDPC and relative
weight among the recombinant lines. AUDPC varied from 165 to 1,150,
and the relative weight varied from 21 to 82 %.
The mean value of the AUDPC for Gli-1D2 lines
(514.5) was significantly lower than mean value for Gli-1D4
lines (650.1). Accordingly, the average relative weight of inoculated
spikes for all Gli-1D2 lines (40.3 %) was significantly
higher than that for the Gli-1D4 lines (34.3 %). In 1994,
a significant difference was found for relative weight, but not
for the AUDPC.
Our results suggest that a major QTL for Fusarium
scab resistance is located on chromosome lD, close to the Gli-1D
locus. No association was found between Fusarium scab resistance
and the other loci studied (Rht-1(Gai), Rht-8,
or Gli-1B), in any of the years.
Further research plans include characterization of
the recombinant lines for other marker loci, with the hope of
finding other possible associations, and investigating other sets
of homozygous recombinant lines, to find out how general the reported
association is.
Superiority of Triticale over other small grains in the hilly regions of Romania.
Gh. Ittu, N.N. Saulescu, and Mariana Ittu.
A comparison was made between the average yields
of the main released Triticale, barley, rye, and wheat cultivars
in yield trials conducted during the last 3 years at five to eight
locations in the hilly region. Triticale cultivars outyielded
barley by 1.96 t/ha, rye by 1.39 t/ha, and wheat by 0.54 t/ha,
on average, in 19, 13, and 25 trials, respectively. When the average
yields of the five highest yielding entries from these trials
with new lines of triticale, barley, rye, and wheat were compared,
triticale still had yield increases of 1.70 t/ha over barley,
0.98 t/ha over rye, and 0.41 t/ha over wheat.
These results suggest that the higher level of tolerance
to aluminum toxicity and the superior resistance to powdery mildew,
rusts, and Septoria tritici of Triticale are important
in conferring yield superiority over barley and wheat. Better
resistance to lodging could explain the superiority over rye.
With the newly released cultivars, Colina and Plai,
Triticale proves to be a better choice among the small grains
for feed grain production on the acid soils of the hilly regions.
However, considerable progress must be achieved before it becomes
competitive for breadmaking.
S.C.A. - AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH STATION
Turda, jud. Cluj, Romania.
TURDA 95, a new winter wheat cultivar.
V. Botezan, V. Moldovan, and Maria Moldovan.
`Turda 95'
was released in 1995. The cultivar was obtained by individual
selection (the pedigree method) from the cross `L99 I 1-2/T6-80-86.
TURDA 95 belongs to T. aestivum ssp. vulgare
var. erythrospermum, having white, awned spikes and red
grains. Turda 95 is a high-yielding semidwarf (95 cm), intermediate
between the control cultivars Fundulea 4 and Ariesan. This cultivar
is of medium maturity, and the vegetative period is equal to that
of Fundulea 4 and 2-4 days longer than that of Ariesan.
The cultivar Turda 95 has good resistance to winterkill,
drought, lodging, and shattering. Good resistance to yellow rust,
stem rust, mildew, Septoria, and Fusarium also are
found in the cultivar. However, Turda 95 is susceptible to leaf
rust.
Turda 95 is characterized by high yield potential.
The average in the ecological network (51 trials) was 68 q/ha,
and in another 24 trials, it produced upwards of 70 q/ha, with
a maximum yield of 103.7 q/ha.
The regression coefficients of Turda 95 yields, calculated
in relation to the yields of Fundulea 4 and Ariesan, were subunitary
(b = 0.78 and 0.87, respectively), which denotes the tendency
of Turda 95 to yield better in unfavorable environments.
Turda 95 is characterized by good quality, which
is reflected by grains harder than those of both Fundulea 4 and
Flamura 85, and by high protein and gluten contents both in the
grain and flour. According to milling and baking indices, Turda
95 is classified among the good quality wheats.
The hard red winter wheat Turda 95 combines high
yield potential with quality and some agronomic characters responsible
for yield stability. Thus, it represents real progress in wheat
breeding in Romania.