Title : Analyzing the shift from initial to productive tillers in wheat (Triticum aestivum l.) under terminal heat stress
Abstract:
Vegetative growth in the form of tillers is crucial to final yield wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) Terminal heat stress, occurring during flowering and grain-filling stages, significantly impacts tiller development, a crucial determinant of grain yield. Understanding tillering mechanisms is pivotal for wheat breeding efforts. In a recent study conducted during the 2022-23 and 2023-24 crop seasons at Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Banasthali Vidyapith, Rajasthan, India, we meticulously planted 16 wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) genotypes in timely and late sown conditions, collecting tiller data from experimental plots. Each genotype was replicated thrice, and tiller counts were recorded for four central plants per plot. Notably, no prior research has explored the transformation of initial tillers into productive ones. Through our analysis, we calculated the transformation percentage of initial tillers to the productive tillers under both timely and late sown conditions. We have also recorded temperature to co-relate the transformation percentage. Among the genotypes observed DBW 90 has 85% and 80% transformation in timely and late sown respectively, DBW 107 has 20% transformation in both conditions and UP301 has 86 % and 84% transformation in timely and late sown respectively. These genotypes exhibited exceptional tolerance to terminal heat stress. Conversely, DBW222 has 77% and 65% transformation in timely and late sown respectively, HD2501 has 73% and 60% in timely and late sown respectively and GW173 has 60% and 49% transformation in timely and late sown respectively. These genotypes were highly sensitive to heat stress. These findings underscore the importance of tillering dynamics in wheat resilience to temperature fluctuations, providing valuable insights for molecular breeding endeavours.
Keywords: Tillers, Transformation percentage, Wheat, Molecular Breeding, Yield.
