Heterosis and combining ability studies for yield components and grain protein content in bread wheat Triticum aestivum (L.)

Abstract

Wheat is the second most important food crop of the country and contributes nearly one third of the total food grain production [1]. The annual production of wheat in India during 2010-11 was 85.93 m t [2] which was a tremendous improvement over the production level four decades back (12.57 m t in 1964) due to the rapid growth in irrigated areas and popularization of high yielding varieties. Rajasthan comprises NWPZ (North Western Plain Zone) and Central Zone of wheat sharing about 10 per cent both in terms of area and production at the national level. After the incorporation of dwarfing gene ‘Norin 10’ production was tremendously capitalized, which brought food self-sufficiency and promoted the build-up of buffer stocks in the country. However, to meet the wheat production targeted at 100 mt by the year 2030, sustained research efforts are needed to keep the upward trend in wheat production well above the population growth.