Expected genetic advance and stability of phytic acid and antioxidants content in bread and durum wheat

Fifteen genotypes of bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and fifteen genotypes of durum wheat (Triticum durum Desf.) were evaluated in the multi-environment trial during 2010-11. and 2011-12 vegetation seasons to investigate components of variance, heritability in a broad sense (h2), expected genetic advance (GA), and stability of phytic acid (PA), inorganic phosphorus (Pi), phytic phosphorus (Pp)/Pi relation, yellow pigment (YP), water soluble phenolics (WSPH) and free protein sulfhydryl groups (PSH) content. The field trials were carried out at three locations in Serbia, as randomized complete block design with four replications. The genetic component of variance (σ2 g) predominated the genotype × environment interaction (σ2 ge) component for: Pi in bread wheat (3.0 times higher), Pp/Pi in bread wheat (2.1 times higher) and in durum wheat (1.2 times higher), YP content in bread wheat (2.2 times higher) and in durum wheat (1.7 times higher), and WSPH content in bread wheat (1.4 times higher). The relation σ2 g/σ2 ge for Pi content in durum wheat was equal to one. The σ2 ge prevailed σ2 g for: PA in bread wheat (1.7 times higher) and in durum wheat (5.7 times higher), PSH in durum wheat (3.7 times higher), and WSPH in durum wheat (5.2 times higher). High h2 coupled with high expected genetic advance as percent of mean (GAM) were observed for: Pi (93.7% and 26.1%, respectively) in bread wheat, Pp/Pi relation in bread wheat (92.4% and 20.7%, respectively) and in durum wheat (87.2% and 20.8%, respectively), YP content in bread wheat (92.6% and 28.0%, respectively) and in durum wheat (90.7% and 28.1%, respectively), and WSPH content (88.9% and 25.8%, respectively) in bread wheat. PA content in bread and durum wheat had medium to medium high h2 (50.5% and 77.9%, respectively), and low expected GAM (9.9% and 3.7%, respectively). GGE biplots with average-environment coordination (AEC) indicated less stability of durum wheat for PA, WSPH and PSH content.