Selected traits of spring wheat in Polish climatic conditions. Part 1. The traits of yield components and basic technological parameters

The purpose of the paper was to determine phenotype and genotype variability of yield components structure  (number  of grains,  grain  mass  and  1000 grain  weigh)  as  well  as  of the basic  technological  traits (sedimentation number, falling number, protein percentage content per grain). The research also considered the issue of pre-harvest sprouting. During each vegetation season rainfall and temperature were recorded. The examined material were the strains of F6 - F7 generation. Coefficients of correlation between the values of particular traits and mean temperatures and rainfall sum during a given season showed that yield component parameters were significantly modified by temperature; whilst warm vegetation seasons proved  to be benefi- cial. Negative correlation between the rainfall sum and the number of grains and grain mass as well as 1000 grain weight suggests that the excess of water may be more detrimental for the yield than its shortage. Coefficients of correlation between the values of basic technological parameters and mean temperature were negative and not very high or low or even – insignificant, as in the case of falling number. High h2 coefficients suggest a good  heritability of yield components  parameters, and yield per ear seem to be the trait that was transmitted best. Amongst  the basic quality indicators, the highest heritability was observed in the case of falling number and the lowest one in the case of sedimentation number. The weakest genetic conditioning was observed in the case of resistance to sprouting, measured as the percentage of sprouting grains in the ear. It seems therefore that genetic variability was, to a large degree, masked by the environmental impact and, in spite of a high degree of genetic conditioning, the effectiveness of selection based on a visual evaluation of the forms rated for further cultivation might be limited.