Efficiency of Pedigree Selection in Bread Wheat under Drought Stress Conditions . I . Morphological traits

Pedigree selection was practiced on two bread wheat populations, namely Debeira x Sahel 1 and Sids 6 x Sahel 1as a first and second population, respectively under drought stress conditions (at 12 % soil moisture content) in order to improve some morphological traits (plant height, spike length, no. of spikelets /spike and days to maturity). The obtained results revealed that all F3 families in both populations were significantly affected by soil moisture content. Also, significant differences were found among families in F4 and F5 generations for both populations, except no. of spikelets / spike in F4 generation for first population. The results showed that broad sense heritability (B.S.H) estimates were moderately in F3 generation for both populations. Meanwhile, B.S.H estimates ranged from low to moderate /high for both F4 and F5 generations in two populations. Small differences were found between phenotypic and genotypic variability estimates (P.C.V.) and (G.C.V.) for all the three generations in both populations. Estimates of realized gains showed that a notable decrease was found after two cycles of pedigree selection in days to maturity by (-4.86, -9.52 and -6.18 %) and (-11.40, -11.40 and -7.89%) from the best parent, bulk sample and check variety in first and second population, respectively. Moreover, a notable increase was found after two cycles in plant height by (1.85, 8.23 and 6.60%) from the best parent, bulk sample and check variety in second population only. The families no. 29 and 30 gave superiority for spike length, spikelets no. /spike and days to maturity in population I. Concerning population II, families no. 22 and 25 gave superiority for plant height, spike length and days to maturity, while family no. 41 gave superiority for plant height, no. of spikelets / spike and days to maturity. Also, family no. 45 realized enhancement for spike length, no. of spikelets / spike and days to maturity. These families could be considered the best selected families produced from pedigree selection method for studied morphological traits. [Abd-El-Haleem, S.H.M. Ehab M.R. Metwali and S.M.S. Mohamed. Efficiency of Pedigree Selection in Bread Wheat under Drought Stress conditions. I. Morphological traits. Life Sci J 2012; 9(4):3423-3429]. (ISSN: 10978135). http://www.lifesciencesite.com. 507