Analysis on test weight of Bulgarian triticale cultivars

Hristo Stoyanov

Abstract: Triticale is a typical cereal crop, which possesses high productivity and very good tolerance to abiotic stress factors. Its main purpose is for production of forage since it is characterized with high protein content but low gluten content and low test weight. Such peculiarities do not allow wide usage of triticale for bread making purposes. Test weight is an extremely conservative parameter and its improvement requires considerable breeding work. With the aim to improve this parameter, the test weight of eleven Bulgarian triticale cultivars was analyzed under conditions of five contrasting periods of growing. The stability of the parameter was determined by applying AMMI analysis. The studied cultivars were grouped according to the combination of productivity with test weight. Based on the obtained results, it was found out that this parameter in the investigated Bulgarian cultivars was affected considerably by the environment, and its mean values varied over years from 67.4 kg/100l to 74.9 kg/100l. The highest values of test weight were determined in cultivars Presto, Atila, Akord, Respekt, Bumerang and Doni 52, and a tendency toward high values during the individual years of the investigation was observed in Presto, Atila and Bumerang. Highest stability of test weight was registered in cultivars Vihren, Presto, Akord, Bumerang, Irnik, Dobrudzhanets, Lovchanets and Borislav, and the best combination of high and stable test weight was observed in Akord, Bumerang and Dobrudzhanets. A combination of high and stable yield with high and stable test weight was found only in cultivar Akord. A good combination between productivity, stability and test weight was registered in cultivars Atila, Bumerang and Doni 52. These cultivars are characterized with very good adaptability to contrasting environments, which makes them valuable triticale varieties suitable for growing in practice under variable soil and climatic conditions in Bulgaria.

Keywords: AMMI-analysis; stability; test weight; triticale; yield

Date published: 2020-12-07