EVALUATION OF FLAG LEAF PHYSIOLOGICAL TRAITS OF TRITICALE GENOTYPES UNDER EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN CONDITIONS

Abstract

The primary objective of the present study is to determine the variations for physiological traits of triticale genotypes. Experiments were carried out in randomized complete block design with 3 replications during the cropping years of 2011-2012 and 2012-2013. Totally 5 cultivars and 20 lines of triticale were used as the plant material of the experiments. The relationships of grain yield with net photosynthesis rate (Pn), stomatal conductance (gs), internal CO2 concentration/ambient CO2 ratio (Ci/Ca), mesophyll conductance (Mc), transpiration efficiency (TE), transpiration rate (Tr) and the leaf temperature (Tl) were assessed through correlation and biplot analyses. For all three growth stages (booting, anthesis, grain filling), significant positive correlations were observed between Tr and Tl; gs and Tr; gs and Pn; gs and Ci/Ca and Mc and Pn, and the greatest negative correlations were observed between TE and Tl. Current findings were not able indicate a single physiological trait has significant correlations with grain yield in all growth stages. However, significant negative correlations were observed between grain yield and Tl-Tr at booting and anthesis stages. It was concluded that low temperature, high net photosynthesis rate, high Ci/Ca and low transpiration rate might be used as reliable selection criteria in further triticale breeding programs.