Characterization of a Core Collection for Pre Harvest Sprouting Tolerance PHST and Effect of Biological Seed Priming for Important Traits in Wheat Triticum aestivum L

Abstract

Characterization of a core collection for pre harvest sprouting tolerance PHST and effect of biological seed priming for important traits in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) A core set of 3500 wheat was screened for pre harvest sprouting tolerance in through field and polyhouse conditions during year 2021-22. The findings revealed substantial genetic variability for pre harvest sprouting tolerance with majority of genotypes (1252) exhibiting moderate to high levels of PHS tolerance scores (1and2), while a smaller proportion expressed moderate to high PHS susceptibility scores (7,8and 9) following PHS scale proposed by Mc Master and Derera (1979).The study could identify 492 candidate genotypes with highest levels of PHS tolerance from field and polyhouse testing of core set. On the basis of PHST scores, the core-set of 3,500 genotypes was deduced to sub-core of 296 genotypes for more precise evaluation, after having representation of genotypes from each score of the scale. The sub-set of 296 genotypes was screened and evaluated in field during years 2022-23 and 2023-24 for pre harvest sprouting and seventeen (17) key DUS traits viz., ear shape, ear density, presence of awn, awn colour, awn attitude, pubescence, ear colour, outer glume shoulder width, outer glume shoulder shape, glume beak length, beak shape, peduncle attitude,grain germ width, brush hair length, grain shape, grain colour and grain texture. The result revealed a wide range of variability for all the DUS traits studied. Under polyhouse conditions, sub set of 296 genotypes was also screened for PHS tolerance, were 77 highly PHS tolerant candidate genotypes were identified which offers promising prospects for developing climate resilient wheat varieties. Pre harvest sprouting susceptibility demonstrated positive correlations with plant height and number of grains per spike over years, while, pre harvest sprouting susceptibility over the years showed negative correlation with the spike length and number of spikelets per spike.