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Selection for Kernel Weight in Two Four-Rowed Spike Populations of Durum Wheat¹

Selection experiments were conducted on two four-rowed spike (FRS) or tetrastichon populations of durum wheat (Triticum turgidum L. var. durum) to determine if grain yield could be improved by selection for kernel weight. Populations 1 and 2 were derived from crosses involving two FRS genotypes with known sources of high kernel weight plus fecundity, and high kernel weight, respectively. We selected 28 FRS F₃ families from Population 1 and 37 FRS F₃ families from population 2 for high kernel weight. Equal numbers of families also were randomly chosen from both populations. Selected and random F₂ derived F₄ lines from each population were grown with parents and checks in separate experiments at Langdon, ND in 1981, and spike characters were evaluated. From each population, 15 F₄ families with the highest kernel weight and 15 random families were selected in 1981 and grown in separate experiments at Prosper and Langdon, ND, in 1982. Spike characters, grain yield, and test weight were measured on each plot. Significant gains in kernel weight were obtained in both populations. The improvements in kernel weight were associated with a decline in number of kernels per spike. Selection for kernel weight improved spike productivity and grain yield relative to the FRS parent, but the yields of the selected FRS lines were not significantly higher than the durum cultivars now grown in North Dakota.

Key Words: Triticum turgidum (L.) var. durum • Yield components • Heritability • Genetic variance

² Former graduate research assistant (present address: Dep. of Agronomy and Plant Genetics, Univ. of Minnesota, 1509 Gortner Ave., St. Paul, MN 55108) and assistant professor of Agronomy.

Received for publication September 28, 1983.