Fusarium Diseases, Yield, and Stability Parameters of Winter Rye Varieties

The paper reports on the work which was carried out in Kirov oblast in 2021–2024 with the aim of assessing winter rye gene pool for resistance to snow mold and root rots in order to find genotypes that would be the most resistant to fungal diseases and most adapted to the environmental conditions of Kirov oblast. Nine varieties created in the Federal Agricultural Scientific Center of the Northeast (Vyatka 2, Kirovskaya 89, Falenskaya 4, Snezhana, Rushnik, Flora, Grafinya, Batist, and Lika) and eight promising populations (Grafit, Grafit FP, Garmoniya, Perepel, Simfoniya, Kiprez, Talitsa, and Falenskaya universal’naya) were the material for study. Two varieties showed resistance to snow mold, namely, Lika (88.1%) and Flora (82.5%). Juvenile resistance to root rots was demonstrated by Garmoniya (disease rate 13.3%), Flora (13.5%), Grafit (14.6%), Grafit FP (14.9%), Rushnik (15.1%), and Perepel (15.2%) and adult resistant by Garmoniya, Flora, Grafit, Grafit FP, Rushnik, Perepel, and Simfoniya (13.3–15.7%). These varieties may be of interest for root rot resistance breeding. The most favorable environmental conditions for high grain yields were observed in 2022 when the average yield was 749.1 g/m2 with the environmental index Ij = 168.8. The Lika, Simfoniya, Grafit FP, Batist, Perepel, Flora, and Snezhana varieties showed statistically higher yields than the standard variety Falenskaya 4 (LSD05 = 143.8 g/m2) by 118.5–212.0 g/m2. Batist, Perepel, Grafit FP, Flora, and Lika were characterized by the highest yield plasticity (bi = 2.33–1.24) and can be considered as highly responsive to the improvement of growth conditions. Flora and Batist showed high yield stability (S2di = 495.08–1034.31). Vyatka 2, Snezhana, Grafit, and Simfoniya (Ymax – Ymin = –248.0– –174.0) showed the highest stress tolerance in the contrasting environmental conditions of the region. Several varieties showing the best combination of the studied traits were selected: Flora, Batist, Lika, Grafit FP, Perepel, and Simfoniya.