ملک مسعود احمدی

Kamal, is a new winter bread wheat cultivar developed by the national rainfed bread wheat breeding program for the cold and temperate dryland areas of Iran. New cultivar created by crossing between Sbn//Trm/k253 and 88Zhong218//Ctk/Vee/3/Kvz/Gv//Prl in Maragheh Research Station. Kamal was selected from segregating population from F2-F7 in Maragheh (2002-2008) based on agronomic characteristics. Based on results, Kamal grain yield means in preliminary and advanced regional yield trail was 2234 and 1719 kgha-1, respectively. Results of elite trail in cold and moderate research stations (2012-2015) showed that the grain yield mean of Kamal was 2120 and means of Azar2 and Ohadi cultivars were 2066 and 2083 kgha-1, respectively. Kamal cultivar in East Azerbaijan province was compared with conventional control cultivars in the farmer fields for 3 years and the results showed that the average grain yield of Kamal and checks were 2604 and 2230 kgha-1 respectively. Kamal is a winter type variety with time to heading of 143 days, 67 cm plant height, 40, gr. 1000 kernel weight, 11.4% protein content, 20 ml Zeleni numer, 41 degree of hardness, 27% wet gluten and 15 unit of gluten index. Results revealed that Kamal cultivar is tolerant to cold and drought stresses, with suitable earliness, and good bread quality but susceptible to yellow rust and leaf rust, this xultivar way and released in 2019 under the name of Kamal for cold and moderate cold dry areas of Iran.

In order to produce wheat lines with high tolerance to drought and cold stresses, Sadra variety was generated by a cross between Sardari (male) and promising line Azadi/Azar (female) in Maragheh research station. Results of studies in the cold and moderate cold research stations showed that the grain yield means of Sadra, Azar2 and Sardari cultivars were 2394, 2332 and 2214 kgha-1, respectively, so that grain yield of Sadra was 8% and 3% higher than Sardari and Azar2 check cultivars, respectively. Sadra has a good adaptability to different climatic conditions, so that the new cultivar possess a great potential to be more productive during years with higher precipitation. According to the results, the mean grain yield of Sadra, Azar 2 and Sardari cultivars under optimal rainfall conditions were 3330, 3045 and 2522 kgha-1, respectively. Sadra cultivar has good general adaptability and grain yield stability, winter growth habit, high tolerance to cold and drought stresses, date to heading of 137 days, plant height of 80 cm and 1000 kernel weight of 35 gr. One of the most important characteristics of Sadra is its bread-making quality, so that Sadra with Zeleni number of 33, protein content of 11.3%, hardness of 47, wet gluten content of 30, gluten index of 50 and SDS sedimentation volume of 55 has a great bread-making quality. Based on its high yield potential and other appropriate agronomic characteristics, Sadra cultivar was released for cultivation in the cold and moderate cold dryland conditions of Iran.

Release of new wheat cultivars with good characteristics such as high yield performance and resistance to diseases for specific regions under rainfed condition is an essential task for sustainability of wheat production. Saein was generated by crossing between: Azar2 and 87Zhong291 (with facultative growth type, high yield performance, good thousand kernel weight and resistance to diseases) in 1999-2000 in Maragheh Research Station. Grain yield means of Saein and Azar2 (as check cultivar) during 2006-2013 cropping seasons in Maragheh Research Station were 2601 and 2493 kgha-1 under rainfed condition and 3529 and 3223 kgha-1 with a supplementary irrigation at the sowing time, respectively. Results showed that Saein had also a specific adaptability in Ardabil regions and grain yield means of Saein (new cultivar), Ohadi and Azar2 (as check cultivars) in Ardabil were 1604, 1267 and 1355 kgha-1, respectively. Results of an on-farm study, in the farmer field in Ardabil province, showed that grain yield means of Saein and Azar2 during 2013-2014 cropping season were 2307 and 2275 kgha-1, respectively. The new cultivar is resistant to yellow rust, resistant to moderately resistant to leaf rust and also resistant to common bunt and dwarf bunt as well as resistant to cold damage, lodging and seed shuttering. New cultivar has winter growth type, white grain color, 76 cm plant height and 33 gr 1000 kernel weight. Based on its good characteristics, this line was released as a new wheat cultivar with the commercial name of Saein in 2015 and was recommended for cultivation in rainfed regions in Ardabil province, in the cold dryland areas in the north west of Iran and also in areas with the potential of supplementary irrigation.

The objective of this experiment was to analyze genotype × environment (GE) interaction for grain yield of 20 durum wheat genotypes to identify the yield stability and adaptability of genotypes using GGE biplot method as well as some univariate stability statistics. The genotypes were evaluated in three rainfed stations of Sararood (Kermanshah), Maragheh and Shirvan, Iran under both rainfed and supplemental irrigation conditions in three cropping cycles from 2015 to 2018. Combined analysis of variance showed significant differences among the genotypes, environments and GE interaction effects. The environment effect was accounted for the 81.9% followed by GE interaction for 5.2% and genotype for 2.1% of total sum ofsquare (TSS). The large size of the GE interaction variance relative to genotype, suggests the possible existence of sub-environmental groups and genotypes with high grain yield and specific adaptation. Mean grain yield of genotypes across all environments was 2649 kg.ha-1, and 2212 and 3303 kg.ha-1 under rainfed and supplemental irrigation conditions, respectively. The highest mean yield was observed for breeding line G15 (2622 kg.ha-1) under rainfed conditions, and G3 (3744 kg.ha-1) under supplemental irrigation conditions. The GGE biplot analysis could differentiate environments to sub-environmental groups with top yielding genotypes. According to GGE biplot, breeding lines G14, G15, G8, G16 and G11 were identified as ideal genotypes with high mean grain yield and yield stability performance. Based on stability parameters the high yielding breeding line G14 identified to have the most stable grain yiled. The environments belonged to Maragheh location with higher "discriminativeness and representativeness" ability was found as ideal location for evaluation of winter durum wheat germplasm. The results also showed genetic gains for high grain yield and yield stability for durum wheat breeding program under cold and temperate cold dryland conditions of Iran.

Hashtrood, is a new winter bread wheat cultivar developed from evaluation of national bread wheat breeding program to cold and moderate dryland areas of Iran. New cultivar created by crossing between two advanced bread wheat lines in Maragheh research station. Hashtrood was selected from segregation populations from F2-F6 in Maragheh (2002-2007) based on its appropriate agronomic characteristics. Results of study on new cultivar in preliminary bread wheat yield trials and advanced regional yield trail in cold and moderate research stations (2008-2010) showed that, means of grain yield were 2611 and 2492 kgha-1, respectively. New cultivar was studied for 3 years (2010-2013) in ERBWYT in Maragheh, Qamlo, Zanjan, Ardebil, Sararood, Shirvan and Uromieh research stations. Based on results means of grain yield for Hashtrood, Azar2 and Ohadi were 2037, 1988 and 1970 kgha-1, respectively. Results of on-farm studies showed that means of grain yield for Hashtrood, Azar2 and Ohadi under farmer fields in East Azerbaijan were 1095, 952 and 896 kgha-1, respectively; and in Kermanshah provinces means of grain yield for Hashtrood, Azar2 and Rijaw were 1800, 1300 and 1332 kgha-1, respectively. Results revealed that Hashtrood cultivar is more tolerant to cold and drought stresses and also posses, earliness, moderate resistant to Ug99, higher 1000 kernel weight and good bread quality and therefore was released in 2015 for planting in cold and moderate cold areas of Iran.

Rasad was generated by crossing between Fenkang15 and Sardari (Sefid local variety) and based on its appropriate agronomic traits under rainfed trials was released for cultivation in rainfed condition in some areas of cold regions. Its higher grain yield and adaptability was favoured its cultivation in cold areas of Ardabil and north of East Azarbaijan. Means of grain yield for Rasad, Sardari and Azar2 in Ardabil and Maragheh were 2547, 2152 and 2196 kgh-1, respectively, during 1999-2013 cropping season. Results showed that the means of 1000 Kernel weight for Rasad, Sardari and Azar2 were 39, 37 and 35 gr. respectively. On farm study showed that new cultivar had higher grain yield (3570 kgh-1) compared with Sabalan (1405 kgh-1) under farmer field in Ardabil. Based on these results, theRasad cultivar with high tolerant to cold and drought stresses and grain yield adaptability and stability was suitable cultivar for planting in the cold drylands of Ardabil and East Azerbaijan provinces.

IntroductionDurum wheat (Triticum turgidum var. durum) is grown for human consumption, mainly as pasta products, e.g., spaghetti and macaroni, couscous, bulgur, frike, flat breads, etc. Worldwide, the area annually planted to durum wheat is estimated to be around 17-18 million hectares, i.e., 8 percent of total wheat area, with a production averaging about 30 million tons annually, which is 5.5 percent of total wheat production. Although durum is grown in various regions of the world, the great bulk of durum area and production is concentrated in the Mediterranean basin and North America. Eight countries (Algeria, Canada, Italy, Morocco, Syria, Tunisia, Turkey, and USA) account for nearly two thirds (2/3) of world durum area and production. In Iran, the area under durum cultivation is about 400-500 thousands hectares with an annual production of 400-500 thousand tons, which covers about 60% of country demands. In spite of the importance of durum for Iranian rural economies, the country has not all succeeded in its research and development efforts to substantially improve durum productivity. The combinations of increasing demand for durum and durum products, as a result of demographic pressure, and relatively low durum productivity partly due to abiotic stresses (i.e. cold, terminal heat, moisture and nutrient deficiency stresses) made the country to an importer of durum. These are frequently exacerbated by biotic stresses, e.g., diseases and insects that may severely inhibit crop growth.
Materials and methodsThe main purpose of this study was to achieve high yielding durum wheat genotypes with higher yield stability in different environmental condition, tolerance to environmental stresses such as cold damage, drought and end of season heat stress. Hence, 17 durum wheat lines were evaluated for grain yeild and morphlogical traits in Maragheh, Sararood, Qamloo, Ardabil and Shirvan agricultural research stations in 2011-14. In each location, the experiments were conducted in a randomized complete block design with three replications.
Results and discussionBased on combined ANOVA, there was significant difference among the environments, genotypes and G×E. GGE-biplot models showed that the 5 environments were belonged to 3 mega-environments, and different genetopes had higher yield in each mega-environments. Sumplimentary irrigation, at sowing time and flowering growth stages, could increase grain yield of lines 30 and 70 percent in Maragheh and Qamloo locations, respectively. The increase of grain yield was 42 percent for line Rascon under suplimentary irrigation. The AMMI and GGE results also confirmed genotype 5 was the most high-yielding durum line with reasonable yield stability in cold areas (Maragheh, Qamloo and Ardabil). Also, genotype 13 was the most high yielding and stable line in Sararood. Hence, these line can be candiatted to release new durum varieties for cold and moderat rainfed areas. Complementary irrigation could increase grain yield up to 30 and 70 percent in Maragheh and Sararood, respectively.
ConclusionsIt can be concluded that finding of new stable high-yielding durum lines, with better performances than that the existed varieies, is a great progress in durum breeding programs in cold rainfed areas. Both GGE biplot and AMMI analyses could be used in grain yield stability and adaptability under rainfed conditions and sumplementary irrigations, however, the results of GGE biploet were more applicable and can be use extensively in the study of grain yield adaptability and stability under rainfed and sumplementary irrigations conditions in durum wheat breeding programs.

Iran is located in arid and semi-arid areas and has limited water resources that yield reduction due to low irrigation in these areas can be inhibited by programming and wise facilities usage. Supplemental irrigation is an approach that can lead to satisfactory and sustainable yield in dryland. The effects of supplemental irrigation on growth and yield of rainfed wheat (Var. Azar2) were investigated in at Dryland Research Station of Shirvan, during growing season of 2008-2009. Four sensitive stages of wheat to drought stress are A) germination, B) tillering, C) flowering, and D) seed set. Single or combined irrigation patterns in these four stages created 16 combinations. That it carried out based on randomized complete block design with 4 replications. These treatments included single irrigation in each stage (A, B, C, and D), two times irrigation (AB, AC, AD, BC, BD and CD), three times irrigation (ABC, ACD, ABD and BCD), four times irrigation (ABCD) and control (No irrigation). The results showed that supplemental irrigation had no significant effect on plant height, but its effect was significant on spike length, tillers and fertile tillers number, seed number per spike, 1000-seed weight, grain yield, harvest index and dry weight of wheat. The highest yield was obtained from 2 times irrigation in flowering and seed set stages (CD with 2009.2 kg/ha) which had no significant difference with 2 times irrigation in tillering and flowering stages. The lowest yield was obtained from no irrigation treatment (NO with 1045.2 kg/ha). The highest seed number per spike was obtained from BC and highest 1000-seed weight from AD. According to the result of this study, it could be concluded that supplemental irrigation in dryland wheat had significant effect on yield and can increase dryland wheat yield. So, it seems that enough water in flowering stage can increase the yield to a satisfactory level.

In this study 25 wheat genotypes including 22 advanced lines along with two durum (Saji and Zardak) and one bread (Sardari) wheat cultivars were grown in 19 diverisified environments in Kermanshsah, Ilam, Maragheh and Shirvan under both rainfed and supplemtary irrigation conditions during four cropping seasons (2006-2010) in Iran. The large magnitude of the GE interaction in combined-ANOVA of grain yield relative to genotypic effect, sugessted the possible existence of sub-environmental groups for the genotypes. The GGE biplot analysis showed that the cold environments were seprated from the warm environments and these two groups gave dissimilar results in ranking of genotypes. The moderate eviormnents were correlated with the both warm and cold environment groups. The genotypes G8, G17, G23 (Saji), G11, G21 and G19 could be recommended as genotypes with high yield and stability performance. The genotypes G21, G16, G8, G23 (Saji) and G17 were highly adapted to warm environments, while the genotypes G25 (Sardari), G24 (Zardak) and G6 were highly adapted to cold environments. The genotypes G20, G22 and G19 can be considered as genotypes with general adaptability.

Topographic characteristics are considered as important factors for growth and yield of rainfed crops because of the impact on the water distribution and consequently effects on soil physical and chemical properties. No information is available on this subject for North Khorasan province of Iran. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of soil and topographic characteristics on the rainfed wheat yield in Sisab region of North Khorasan province. Surface soil samples and wheat yield data were taken from 100، 1×1 m2 plots on different slope positions from 800 ha of rainfed farms. Sand، silt، clay، gravel، calcium carbonate equivalent، soil organic matter، pH، EC، total nitrogen، available potassium and phosphorus were measured. Primary and secondary topographic derivatives including elevation، slope، aspect، plan curvature، topographic wetness index، sediment transport index and stream power index were calculated from a 30m grid cell size digital elevation model. Multiple regression models were developed between soil and topographic characteristics and yield components. 20 out of 100 samples were used to validate the model prediction. Coefficients of correlation matrix showed that elevation and calcium carbonate equivalent have the strongest correlation with wheat yield components. Soil factors including calcium carbonate percentage and organic matter and topographic indices such as elevation، slope and stream power index were entered into the regression models. Because of non-linear and complex interrelation، the regression models explained only 43% and 40% of total and grain yield variations، respectively. The results of this study showed that although Sisab is located on the border of arid and semiarid climate، the topographic characteristics could affect soil properties and wheat yield components.

The objectives of this study were to analyze genotype by environment (GE) interactions on the grain yields of 18 promising durum wheat lines selected from joint project between Iran and ICARDA along with two national durum (Zardak) and bread wheat (Sardari) checks by the additive main effects and multiplicative interaction (AMMI) model and to evaluate genotype (G)، environment (E) and GE interactions using statistics parameters i. e.، AMMI stability value (ASV) and ecovalence (W2). The trials were conducted at four locations، representative for multi-location durum yield trials، in Iran under rain-fed (unfavorable) and supplemental irrigation (favorable) conditions for three successive cropping seasons (2005-07). Main effects due to E، G and GE interaction as well as three first interaction principal component axes (IPCA 1-3) were found to be significant (P <0. 01). AMMI biplots were able to distinguish genotypes، with wide and specific adaptation، and environments، with high and low genotype discrimination ability. The genotype G9 with the highest mean yield was to be most stable genotype، while the G16، G17 and G18 with the highest contribution to GE interaction were to be most instable. The results of recommended genotypes based on AMMI analysis showed the G15، G9 and G12 were highly adapted to rain-fed and supplemental irrigation conditions of Kermanshah. The all genotypes from ICARDA (G16، G17، G18) were highly adapted to both rain-fed and irrigation conditions of Ilam. The best genotypes for rain-fed condition of Maragheh were G15 and G1 while the G15 and G16 were the best for supplemental irrigation condition. The genotypes G15، G9 and G1 were the best for Shirvan. In this study the G15 was the genotype with the best adaptation in three locations of Sararood، Maragheh and Shirvan.

The effects of genotype by environment interactions on the grain yield of twelve promising durum lines along with a durum (Zardak) and a bread (Sardari) wheat as checks were investigated at three locations, representative for multi-location durum yield trials, in Iran under rain-fed and supplementary irrigation conditions for three cropping seasons. Main effects due to E, G and GE interaction as well as four interaction principal component axes (IPCA 1-4) were found to be significant (P <0.01). AMMI biplot was able to distinguish genotypes, with wide and specific adaptation, and environments, with high and low genotype discrimination ability. Genotypic responses were similar in Kermanshah and Ilam in two (2005-06 and 2008-09) out of three years. In Shirvan genotypic responses generally were similar. Based on AMMI analysis, the check cultivars were more adapted to rainfed conditions while the promising genotypes G8, G2, G7, G4 and G6 were adapted to supplementary irrigation conditions. According to AMMI and some stability parameters, the genotypes G3, G10 and G5 were more stable and were more adapted to the whole target regions.

This experiment was conducted in 2007 in Shirvan Agriculture Research center. The experiment was split plot in randomized complete block design with three replications. Main factors consisted of unfertilized (A1), 100% fertilizer (A2), 100% manure (A3), 50% fertilizer + 50 % manure (A4) treatments and sub factors consisted of sole crop of millet (B1), 75% millet + 25% bean (B2), 50% millet + 50% bean (B3), 25% millet + 75% bean (B4), and sole crop of bean (B5). Dry matter yield, grain yield, 1000 kernel weight, harvest index (HI), land equivalence ratio (LER), photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) and soil moisture content and soil temperature in each crop were calculated. Results indicated that the fertilizer and manure treatments had significant effect on millet and bean grain and dry matter yield