Determination of physiological and morphological parameters associated with grain yield and quality traits in durum wheat

The study was performed to investigate the relationship between some morphological and physiological traits and yield of 25 durum wheat (Triticum durum Desf.) genotypes grown in rainfall and irrigated conditions. Experiments were established according to split plot arrangement on randomized complete block design with three replications at the experimental field of GAP International Agricultural Research and Training Center in the 2014-2015 and 2015-2016 growing seasons. According to the results of correlation analysis, significant relationship was determined between morphological, physiological and quality traits. In the study, high and positive correlations were found between grain yield and flag leaf stay green, flag leaf anthocyanin intensity, peduncle length, spike number in square meter, grain number per spike, while negative correlation was determined between grain yield and wax rate of spike and erectness of flag leaf. It was also determined that there was a negative and significant relationship between protein ratio and peduncle length and anthocyanin density. According to GGE biplot analysis, significant correlation was observed between NDVI value measured at booting and milk development stages and grain yield under rainfed and irrigated conditions. According to drought tolerance index values (DTI) of the durum wheat cultivars, Fırat-93 was determined as the most tolerant cultivar 0.46 (KHİ). It was determined that cultivar Diyarbakır-81 had a potential to be used in breeding programs because of it's high performance with the traits of canopy temprature, leaf area index, NDVI value, number of spike per square meter and grain yield. It was concluded that flag leaf stay green, erectness of flag leaf, anthocyanin, peduncle length, number of spike in square meter, grain number per spike, wax rate of spike, booting and milk stage of NDVI value could be used as a selection parameters to improve high yielding geotypes in wheat breeding programs for both rainfall and irrigation conditions. Also, among durum wheat cultivars, Diyarbakır-81 and Fırat-93 can be used as parents because of their high performance for physiological traits and higher grain yield in rainfall conditions respectively. Key Words: Durum Wheat, Physiological Parameter, Morphological Parameter