Variance components of combining ability for different morpho-physiological traits for heat tolerance in bread wheat

Abstract

To estimate the level of heat tolerance for different genotypes of bread wheat with respect to morphological characters under studied grains/ spike, grain weight/spike, grain filling duration (duration between the anthesis stage and the physiological maturity), 1000-kernel weight and grain yield/plant for yield. Physiological traits like relative injury (RI %), chlorophyll content, canopy temperature depression (CTD), were used in present investigation to contribute toward capability of plants to tolerate heat stress of the yield contributing traits during heat stress.The findings of present investigation had clearly explained that influences of environments on morpho physiological characters i.e. grain yield per plant (14886.15) and its attributing traits i.e. spike length (459.7), tillers per plant (622.34), spikelets per spike (278.1), 1000 kernel weight (13262.39), grain weight per spike (177.89) and number of grains per spike (2898.44) in wheat were highly significant and positive. Among the parent and their crosses had handsome amount of variations across the environment. The results of interaction for environments with parents, lines, testers and their crosses with respect to morpho physiological characters in wheat was found significant for some characters while variation was absent for other characters studied. Physiological traits like relative injury per cent, chlorophyll content and CTD were vital parameters to quantify the degree of heat stress to develop tolerant genotypes which is urgent and present need under changing climate scenario.