Evaluation of Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) Germplasm for Growth, Yield and Quality Parameters in Vindhyan Region of U.P.

The present investigation was conducted at the Main Experiment Station (MES), Prof. Rajendra Singh (Rajju Bhaiya) University, Prayagraj, during the Rabi season of 2024–2025, evaluate the performance of 13 diverse wheat genotypes under uniform agronomic conditions to identify superior traits contributing to grain yield. The study involved assessment of multiple quantitative traits including plant height at different growth stages (30, 60, and 90 DAS), number of leaves per plant, peduncle length, spike length, phenological traits (days to 50% heading and maturity), yield attributes (seeds per spike and plant, seed weight per spike, number of tillers), straw weight, biological yield, 1000-seed weight, and final grain yield per plot. Highly significant genotypic differences were observed for all traits, indicating substantial variability among genotypes. Traits such as peduncle length, 1000-seed weight, and plant height at 60 DAS exhibited high genotypic and phenotypic coefficients of variation, coupled with high heritability and genetic advance, suggesting the effectiveness of direct selection. Correlation and path analysis revealed that number of tillers per plant, number of seeds per plant, seed weight per spike, and biological yield had strong positive associations and direct effects on grain yield, confirming them as key contributors to productivity. Among the genotypes, DBW-187 and DBW-88 showed superior performance in terms of yield and yield-contributing traits. These findings highlight the potential of exploiting genotypic variability through selection and breeding strategies for improving wheat productivity.