Identification of high yielding, salt tolerant and stable genotypes of bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

In the present investigation eighteen genotypes of wheat were evaluated under normal and saline soil environments over two years in rabi seasons in R.B.D. with two replications to study the g x e interaction and to identify stable genotypes. Pooled analysis of variance indicated significant variance due to genotype and g x e interaction for all the characters. Variance due to g x e (lin.) was significant for plant height, spikelets per ear, grain yield per ear, 1000-grain weight and grain yield per plant. The variance due to g x e (lin.) was higher than variance due to pooled deviation for all the characters except days to flowering. Environmental indices were higher under normal as compared to saline environments for all characters except for days to flowering. Out of eighteen genotypes, genotypes KRL 19, Job 673 and Kh 65 showed average response (b congruent to 1) and were highly stable (S-di(2)= 0). Out of these, the genotype KRL 19 had higher mean value than population mean, thus this genotype should be used in the hybridization programme. Genotypes Job 673 and Kh 65 should be used in hybridization programme and should be crossed with high yielding genotypes such as Raj 3077 to develop high yielding and stable genotypes. Genotypes KRL 20 and Job 666 showed above average stability with mean equivalent to population mean. Thus, these were suitable for high saline conditions. These genotypes should be crossed with high yielding genotypes like Raj 3077 to develop high yielding genotypes suitable for highly saline soils.