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Rapid urbanization and evolving dietary preferences have heightened the demand for durum wheat and its derivatives in developing nations like Nepal. This study represents the first comprehensive exploration and evaluation of durum wheat genotypes in Nepal, addressing the escalating need for highyielding varieties. The primary objective was to identify stable and prolific durum wheat lines for release, enhancing Nepal's durum wheat breeding program. Utilizing genotypes from CIMMYT's disease screening and yield nurseries from 2011/12 to 2020/21, a total of 132 genotypes, including international checks, underwent evaluation over ten years under the Alpha Lattice design. Results revealed significant variation among genotypes for grain yield and other traits, identifying high-yielding and stable lines suitable for Nepal. Heritability analysis highlighted moderate heritability for grain number per spike, thousand-grain weight, and grain yield. Cluster analysis identified distinct clusters with high grain yield and desirable agronomic traits. Disease incidence facilitated the selection of resistant lines, with DWK38 emerging as the highest grain yielder (4416.04 kg/ha). Overall, durum wheat lines from CIMMYT exhibited robust performance in Nepal, enabling the identification of superior lines with potential benefits for farmers and consumers. The study's implications include developing and releasing superior durum lines in Nepal, providing farmers with profitable alternatives amidst evolving food habits. In conclusion, the findings from this study provide a valuable foundation for future durum wheat breeding efforts in Nepal, guiding the selection of genotypes that are well-suited to the diverse environmental challenges of the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The productivity of wheat in Nepal is low compared to the world average and very low compared to countries like New Zealand and Ireland, and it has remained nearly stagnant in the past ten years. Genetic factors, water and climate seem to be a limiting factor for wheat productivity in Nepal. Breeding for tolerance to biotic and abiotic stress and study of their genetic stability under stress are important for improving the productivity of wheat. We assessed the genetic diversity of 20 genotypes of wheat released or in the pipeline in Nepal, by 12 SSR markers linked to drought tolerance and 4 SSR markers linked to heat stress tolerance. The first set clustered 20 genotypes into 4 clusters, 3 of which further sub clustered into 8 sub clusters. 2 of the genotypes, namely BL-4707 and NL-1325, are distantly related to the rest of the genotypes. The second set of SSR markers clustered 20 genotypes into 5 clusters, 2 of which further subclustered into 4 subclusters. 2 of the genotypes, namely NL-1247 and NL-1325, are distantly related to each other and the rest of the genotypes. This study identified both closely related genotypes and distantly related genotypes of wheat in alleles presumably linked to drought and heat stress tolerance. The finding of this study is expected to be useful for breeding for drought and heat stress tolerance and study of the interaction of genotypes and environment as well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]