Progress report on temperate cereal varietal improvement of Department of Agriculture

In 1996-1997 growing season, Phrae Rice Research Center, Sakon Nakorn Rice Research Center and their Rice Research Station Networks had conducted research programme on temperate cereals varietal improvement. Works included selection of segregating materials of wheat and barley lines which were introduced from CIMMYT and some of these segregating materials were developed locally at Rice Research Centers. Results of selection indicated that some wheat lines tended to give high acceptable grain yields in the northern environments. These lines including FNBW 8426-BC 90, PMPBW 91279 and no.255.2 gave 677.0, 670.0 and 666.0 kg/rai. In the northeastern parts, wheat lines, SKNBWS 95059, SKNBWS 95108 and SKNBWS 95115 adapted well and gave promising yields of 556.0, 518.0 and 508.0 kg/rai respectively. For barley selection, it was found that SMGBLS 94021, SMGBLS 95018 and SMGBLS 95034 performed yield well under the northern growing conditions. Similarly location yield trial of wheat and barley were conducted in the northern and northeastern parts. Wheat line SMGBWS 85701 gave the highest grain yield of 525.0 kg/rai in the northern parts compared with Fang 60 (check variety) gave the second rank of 507.0 kg/rai. In the northeastern parts, wheat lines, FNBW 8112-2-3, UBNBWS 89027 and UBNBWS 85701 gave the outyields of 415.0, 403.0, and 398.0 kg/rai. For the locational yield trial of barley, there were some promising barley lines showed good adaptabilities under northern and northeastern growing areas and gave high yields. These barley lines included FNBL 8403-6-SMG-1-2-1, FNBL 8402-14-SMG-1-1 and UBNBLS 91038. In addition, wheat and barley yield trials were conducted under different farmer field conditions. In the northern parts, wheat lines FNBW 8101-7 and FNBW 8301-5-5 gave higher grain yield than Samaeng no.2, check variety. In the northeastern, crops were failed in some tested areas resulted low average sitemean yields were obtained. For barley yield trial, barley lines SMGBLS 89706 gave the highest grain yield 279.0 kg/rai in the northern parts compared with the average site mean yields of 235.0 kg/rai. In the northeastern parts, barley yields were rather low due to management problems, average sitemean yield was about 180.0 kg/rai.