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CROP BREEDING & GENETICS

Relationship of Flag Leaf Characteristics to Economically Important Traits in Two Spring Wheat Crosses

Dep. of Plant Sciences and Plant Pathology, Leon Johnson Hall, Montana State Univ., Bozeman, MT 59717

^* Corresponding author (usslt{at}montana.edu).

Selection in unreplicated head rows for traits that affect yield potential is an objective for many wheat (Triticum aestivum L. ) breeding programs. Flag leaf characteristics provide a potential target for selection. In this experiment, we determined flag leaf and yield characteristics for recombinant inbred lines (RIL) from two crosses, McNeal/Thatcher and McNeal/Reeder. McNeal is intermediate between Thatcher and Reeder for green flag leaf duration after heading. Flag leaf characteristics had heritability greater than 0.70 for all traits. Heading date was positively associated with yield for one cross in dryland and irrigated environments but tended to be negatively associated with grain volume, kernel weight, and kernel protein in both crosses. The duration of green leaves after heading was positively correlated with yield, grain volume, and kernel weight in both sets of environments in the McNeal/Thatcher RIL. This trait was positively correlated with grain volume, kernel weight, and grain protein in dryland environments in the McNeal/Reeder RIL. Our results suggest that selection against late heading and for a long duration of green flag leaves after heading should result in gains in yield potential, grain volume, and kernel weight for spring wheat.

Abbreviations: FLS, flag leaf senescence • GLDAH, green leaf duration after heading • RIL, recombinant inbred lines.