Are the agronomic performance and grain quality characteristics of bread wheat Mediterranean landraces related to the climate prevalent in their area of origin?

This study analyses the relationship between climate of countries where wheat landraces are specifically adapted, and their agronomic grain quality characteristics. Regions with similar within Mediterranean Basin were identified based on long-term climatic data 23 origin a collection 153 bread landraces. The panel was genotyped 13177 SNP markers grown field experiments for two years under rainfed conditions in north-east Spain 14 11 grain-quality traits assessed. Great phenotypic variability found collection. performance varied according to four regions (south-east, south-west, north coast north-Balkan), which gradually varies from warm dry wet cold. Cycle length, grain-filling rate yield increased, but duration decreased south-eastern Balkan ones. Grain weight accounted 25% variations lowest region. showed no geographical pattern related Landraces Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria Romania differed rest high gluten strength (W), loaf volume (LV), mixing time (MT) hardness, while opposite attributes accessions Jordan, Lebanon Cyprus. south-western had low MT, alveograph-peak, W LV. Genotypes suitable use breeding programmes may be identified. Molecular revealed that genetic structure mostly influenced by temperatures before anthesis rainfall, solar radiation sunshine after anthesis.