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RESEARCH ARTICLE

Grain yield and water use efficiency of early maturing wheat in low rainfall Mediterranean environments

K. L. Regan, K. H. M. Siddique, D. Tennant and D. G. Abrecht

Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 48(5) 595 - 604
Published: 1997

Abstract

Wheat cultivars with very early maturities appropriate for late sowings in low-rainfall (<325 mm) short-season environments are currently unavailable to wheat growers in the eastern margin of the cropping region of Western Australia. A demonstration that very early-maturing genotypes can out-perform current commercial cultivars would open new opportunities for breeding programs to select very early-maturing, high- and stable-yielding cultivars for these environments. Six field experiments were conducted over 4 seasons at 2 low-rainfall sites in Western Australia to investigate crop growth, grain yield, and water use efficiency of very early-maturing genotypes compared with current commercial cultivars when sown after 1 June.

Very early-maturing genotypes reached anthesis up to 24 days (328 degree-days) earlier than the current cultivars, produced less leaves, had similar yields and dry matter, and maintained high water use efficiencies. On average across seasons and locations the very early-maturing genotypes (W87–022–511, W87–114–549, W87–410–509) yielded more than the later maturing cultivars Gamenya and Spear (190 v. 160 g/m2) but they were similar to the early-maturing commercial cultivars Kulin and Wilgoyne (191 g/m2). Very early-maturing genotypes generally had a higher harvest index and produced fewer spikelets, but heavier and more grains, than Kulin and Wilgoyne.

There were only small differences in total water use between very early-maturing genotypes and commercial cultivars; however, very early-maturing genotypes used less water in the pre-anthesis period and more water in the post-anthesis period than the later maturing genotypes, and hence, experienced less water deficit during the grain-filling period. This study indicates that there is a role for very early-maturing genotypes in low-rainfall short-season environments, when the first autumn rains arrive late (after 1 June).

Keywords: early maturity, phenology, harvest index.

https://doi.org/10.1071/A96080

© CSIRO 1997

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