EVALUATION OF PAKISTANI WHEAT CULTIVARS FOR YIELD RELATED TRAITS AND YELLOW RUST REISTANCE IN AGRO-CLIMATIC CONDITIONS OF DERA ISMAIL KHAN

The primary crop for feeding the planet's expanding population is wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), which is still a common ingredient in many cuisines. The breeding and development of semi-dwarf and high yielding varieties have boosted national wheat yield, the constantly changing climate necessitates to develop more climate0-resilient wheat varieties that can better withstand disease pressure, heat and drought stress. This study was designed to evaluate elite Pakistani wheat cultivars for yield related traits and yellow rust reistance in agro-climatic conditions of Dera Ismail Khan. Twenty-six Pakistani wheat varieties were grown in standardized as Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) using three replications. Data collected for days to 50% heading, plant height, spike length, 1000GW and yellow rust reistance was subjected to R-package for statistical analysis. AZRC Dera was found to have earliest heading (104 days). Gulzar-19 was found to be the most dwarf variety (mean height 68cm) while Peer Sabaq-19 was the tallest one (mean height 100 cm). Mean spike length ranged 8.8 cm-15 cm. The highest spike length was noted for NIFA Lalma-13 (15 cm) and the lowest for Faisalabad-2008 (8.8 cm). The highest 1000GW was recorded for recently developed variety of ARI- RK2022 (65g) while lowest 1000GW was recorded for rust susceptible wheat variety Faisalabad Punjab (40g). Based on yellow rust score scale, yellow rust highly resistant (HR) cultivars were AZRC Dera, Khaista, Wadan, Akbar19, Shahkar, Gulzar19. Moderately resistant cultivars (MR) include Hashim08, Shahid17, Fakhr-e-Bahakkar, Tarnab Gandam. Moderately susceptible (MS) cultivars include Shalimar-88 while highly susceptible (HS) were Faisalabad Punjab, Faisalabad-2008, Punjab-1. Based on the findings of this study, AZRC Dera, RK2022 and NIFA Lalma-13 are recommended to be grown by the local farmers in agro-climatic conditions of Dera Ismail Khan.