M. Moradi, A.m. Rezai, A. Arzani,
Volume 11, Issue 42 (1-2008)
Abstract
Evaluation of genetic improvement of grain yield and other traits in cultivars released in different years is useful to determine plant breeding impact on grain yield improvement, to define future selection criteria and to identify the desirable environment and traits for further assessment. This study was conducted to evaluate the genetic improvement for grain yield and other traits of twelve oat (Avena sativa L.) cultivars released in Canada during 1921- 1997, at Research Farm, College of Agriculture, Isfahan University of Technology, during 2001-3 in a randomized complete block design with three replications. The regression of mean grain yield on released year of the cultivars showed that the rate of increase in grain yield during a 76-year period is 32.63 kg h-1 year-1 or 0.63% per year. Breeding programmes have inereased harvest index, grain number per panicle and fertile tillers /m2. The effort of breeders in this period was to decrease plant height and days to heading. The other traits had small changes and showed no specific trends. In general the results of this study showed continous improvement of grain yield in this period. Genetic improvement of grain yield in evaluated cultivars closely correlated with harvest index. Therefore, most variation in grain yield of oats was due to variation in harvest index. Although much of the improvement in grain yield described here could be attributed to the increased harvest index, the scope for further improvement in this character may be limited. Further yield improvement of oats might be achieved by combining high biological yield with high harvest index.
H Miri,
Volume 12, Issue 46 (1-2009)
Abstract
In order to study changes in morphophysiological traits of wheat cultivars released from 1940 to 2000 in Iran and to determine the association of these traits with grain yield, an RCBD experiment was conducted with 15 wheat cultivars released during past 60 years in Arsanjan (Fars province) in 2006 and 2007. Results indicated that grain yield increased significantly during these 60 years (r=0.912, P<0.01). HI and BY increased significantly with increasing grain yield. The changes in photosynthesis rate were not significant during this period, but transpiration rate and stomotal conductance in recent cultivars increased significantly. Chlorophyll index also increased in new cultivars. Among yield components, grain number per ear increased significantly, but increase in ear number was not significant. Plant height decreased significantly in new cultivars. The results showed that during wheat breeding in Iran, increasing HI, grain number per ear, transpiration rate, stomatal conductance and decreasing plant height had the highest role in wheat yield increase. The role of BY and ear number per area were lower in grain yield increase. It seems that present HI values are near the highest possible value, but the opportunity for increasing grain yield by mean of HI is still possible.
