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Heritability and Relationship to Yield of Excised-Leaf Water Retention in Durum Wheat¹

Previous research indicated that excised-leaf water retention capability was related to drought resistance in Triticum spp., but no information is available on the heritability of the trait or its relationship to yield under drought conditions. The heritability and relationship to yield of excised-leaf water retention capability was studied in eight durum wheat(T . turgidum L. var. durum)crosses involving the high retention parent ‘Pelissier’. Fifty random lines from each cross were studied under field conditions in the F₄,F₈ and F₈ generations. Standard-unit heritabilities of initial and initial minus wilted leaf water concentration were calculated by regressing F₄ on F₆, and F₆ on F₈ values. Heritability of initial leaf water concentration ranged from 0.08 to 0.61 in the F₄/F₆, and from 0.15 to 0.41 in the F₆/F₈ comparisons. Heritability of initial minus wilted water concentration ranged from 0.11 to 0.49 in the F₄/F₆ comparisons, and from 0.10 to 0.38 in the F₆/F₈. Simple correlations between yield and initial minus wilted leaf water concentration tended to be low and nonsignificant. Comparisons of the yields of the 10 fastest and 10 slowest water losers within crosses and years, however, showed significant differences in all but three of 20 cases. In two of the crosses, water retention was yield-negative in low drought stress environments, but yield-positive in a high-stress environment. Retention capability tended to be yield-positive or yield-neutral in the other crosses regardless of environment. Further studies, using a broader range of genetics sources of high water retention, are required in order to develop suitable selection strategies for the retention trait.

Key Words: Triticum turgidum L. var. durum • Drought stress • Drought resistance

² Research scientists, Res. Stn., Res. Branch, Agric. Canada, Swift Current, Saskatchewan S9H 3X2.

Received for publication February 7, 1985.