Performance of marker-assisted backcross bread-wheat (Triticum aestivum) variety Unnat PBW 343 under diverse environments

Abstract

The field studies were carried out to evaluate the performance of newly developed wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) variety Unnat PBW 343 through marker-assisted backcross breeding under different sowing environments. Theexperiment was conducted at the Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana during rabi 2014–15 to 2016–17 in splitplot design replicated thrice with two main plot treatments [timely sown conditions–1st week of November and late sown conditions–1st week of December] and five wheat genotypes (Unnat PBW 343, PBW 343, HD 2967, PBW 621 and WH 1105) including one developed through marker-assisted backcross breeding. Based on the pooled analysis, timely sown crop recorded significantly higher grain yield (23.8%) than late sown crop. Lowest yellow rust score was recorded in Unnat PBW 343 over all the check varieties. Among wheat varieties, mean grain yield of Unnat PBW 343 was the highest and statistically at par with PBW 621 and WH 1105 in different years and showed  ignificantimprovement over check varieties PBW 343 and HD 2967. So, Unnat PBW 343 found to be resistant to yellow rustand can be sown under timely sown conditions in northwestern Indian conditions.