Perspectives of two decades of research on triticale in India
1991
Gill, K.S. (Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana (India))
Research on triticale has aimed at developing varieties combining high stable yields with multiple resistance to diseases, as well as high nutritional and other grain quality traits suitable for use as food and feed. Through two decades of research, major advances have been made in overcoming problems of floret sterility, shrunken endosperm, soft texture and red color of grains, meiotic instability, susceptibility to lodging and diseases, poor quality of breads and chapatis, low yields etc. Extensive triticale materials possessing high yields, disease resistance, good quality, hard, plump amber-colored attractive grains have been obtained and are under extensive testing. Two cultivars, namely TL 419 and TL 1210, have already been released. Triticales have given excellent performance in light, sandy and acid soils. Their performance has been relatively much better in the North Hill and North Western Plain Zones than in other regions of India. A number of progressive farmers, particularly those having their own poultry farms, have taken up triticale cultivation in the Punjab State of India. By providing cropping diversity during winter, triticale can prevent disease epidemics even on wheat. Basic information on genetic components of variance, character associations, cause and effect relationship, combining ability, heterosis, inbreeding depression, genetic advance, stability parameters, etc., pertaining to grain yield and its components has been obtained. Cytogenetics of meiotic instability, floret sterility, R-D chromosome substitutions, etc., have been studied. The embryo culture technique for synthesizing primary triticales has been perfected. Excellent poultry and cattle feed prepared from triticale has been recommended since 1985. Excellent biscuits, both nutritionally and in physical characteristics, can be made from triticale. Good quality breads and chapatis can also be prepared from triticale particularly when blended with 50 percent wheat
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