Heritability and Variability of Productivity Traits in Spring Soft Wheat Hybrids of the First to Fourth Generations

Under the conditions of the Absheron region, the effects of interaction between genotype and environment were determined in nine varieties of spring soft wheat and seven hybrid populations F1…F4 formed with their participation. A reliable effect of environmental conditions on all the studied traits was established. The contribution of the “year” factor to the number of grains per ear in varieties and hybrids was 10.9 and 13.9%, respectively; to the weight of 1000 grains – 5.8 and 19.5%; to the yield – 47.3 and 41.1%. The genetic component made a significant contribution to the weight of 1000 grains in varieties and hybrids (81.5 and 58.8%), as well as to the number of grains in varieties (38.4%). A higher varietal specificity in the manifestation of traits in parental varieties was noted compared to hybrids. Two component traits of ear productivity in a series of generations against the background of various lim-factors were analyzed, shifts of their average values and their influence on the yield were predicted and determined. The phenotypic dominance index (hp) was determined in the first generation by the number of grains per ear and 1000-grain weight, combinations with a high level were identified. The selection differential and efficiency of selections carried out under contrasting environmental conditions in the second and third hybrid generations were calculated. The yield in the initial populations varied within 219.0…789.6 g/m2, in the selected progeny – 317.0…647.6 g/m2. The average yield increase in the progeny selected in a dry year, in relation to the initial populations, was 56.8 g/m2; in the progeny selected under conditions of excess moisture – 10.8 g/m2. Correlation analysis revealed an average positive relationship between the hp indicator in the first generation and the selection differential in subsequent generations for the traits “weight of 1000 grains” and “number of grains per ear”.