Association between physiological parameters and yield in Triticum aestivum L. genotypes under rainfed conditions.

The purpose of the study was to assess the relationships between physiological parameters and grain yield of different bread wheat genotypes. In the present research a total of 25 bread wheat genotypes were tested during the 2016-2017 seasons under rainfed conditions. The experiment was conducted in a randomized complete blocks design with four replications. Grain yield, days of heading, plant height, biomass (NDVI) from GS25 up to GS85 growth stage, chlorophyll content (SPAD) during the heading stage, canopy temperature (CT) at GS60 and GS75 growth stages, and glaucousness were investigated. The results of variance analyses showed that there were significant differences (p<0.01) among genotypes for yield. The mean grain yield was 7948 kg ha-1 and yield ranged from 7033 kg ha-1 to 8759 kg ha-1, the highest grain yield performed by TE6744-16 line. According to the results, significant differences among cultivars in terms of plant height, days of heading, biomass, chlorophyll content, canopy temperature, glaucousness were found. TE6627-6 line had the highest chlorophyll content and also, chlorophyll content positively affected grain yield. Canopy temperature is generally related to yield under drought stress condition in bread wheat. In the study early maturing (days of heading) genotypes had lower canopy temperature. An increase in biomass after the heading phase has positively affected grain yield. In the study, no correlation was found between grain yield and biomass at GS25 and GS45 growth phase. There was a negative correlation between glaucousness with biomass at GS60, GS75 and GS85 growth phase. These results showed that physiological parameters such as biomass (at GS75 and GS85), canopy temperature (at GS60 and GS75), and chlorophyll content (at GS60), and glaucousness could be used for selection parameters under rainfed conditions for yield in bread wheat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]