Correlation Between Seed Longevity and Agronomic Traits in Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

Abstract

After rice, wheat is the second most significant cereal crop needed to provide human nutritional needs. Seed longevity is an important trait since it is associated with good germination and vigour. The performance and planting value of the seed lot in the following cropping season are determined by how long they remain viable and vigorous in storage. Since it is difficult and time-consuming to understand the genetic mechanism of longevity, an indirect approach that links agro-morphological characteristics with seed longevity could be investigated. In reference to this, the seeds of five wheat varieties of Himachal Pradesh, India were put under storage for 12 months in the seed testing laboratory and simultaneously analysed for 11 agro-morphological distinctive characteristics in the seed production farm. The correlation of germination after 12 months with 11 agro morphological parameters demonstrated a substantial and positive relationship between seed longevity and number of grains per spike, test weight, biological yield per plant, seed yield per plant, and productive tillers per plant. As a result, it is possible to create a wheat ideotype by selecting for more tillers per plant, more grains per spike, and test weight, all while increasing biological yield and seed production per plant. Based on association analysis, this study proposes an indirect selection criterion based on several easily scored agro-morphological factors that have a high relationship with seed longevity