Evaluation of some wheat genotypes using multivariate analyses and genetic parameters

This study encompasses 23 bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) genotypes, including three Egyptian cultivars: Giza 171, Sakha 95, and Sids 14, along with twenty exotic accessions introduced from Russia and Canada. The experiment was conducted at the Experimental Farm of Giza Agricultural Research Station (located at 30.02679° N, 31.21197° E), Agricultural Research Center (ARC), Egypt, during the cropping seasons of 2022-2023 and 2023-2024. The results demonstrated significant differences among the genotypes, with overall performance data indicating that several produced high grain yields per plot, exceeding 1000 grams. A strong positive correlation was observed between grain yield and its components, including the number of spikes per square meter, the number of kernels per spike, kernel weight per spike, and 1000-kernel weight, with correlation values of 0.83, 0.71, 0.72, and 0.88, respectively. The number of spikes per square meter had the most significant direct positive influence on grain yield per plot, with a correlation of 0.40, followed closely by the 1000-kernel weight at 0.38. Additionally, cluster analysis identified two main groups among the 23 wheat genotypes. The first group comprised nine genotypes, characterized by their high grain yield and robust performance across nearly all measured traits. Plant height, kernel weight per spike, 1000-kernel weight, and grain yield per plot traits exhibited high genetic and phenotypic coefficients of variation (GCV and PCV), alongside significant genetic advancement and heritability. This indicates that there is considerable variability among genotypes, highlighting the potential effectiveness of selection to enhance grain yield.