LEVELS OF PHENOTYPIC VARIATION FOR DEVELOPMENTAL TRAITS IN LANDRACE GENOTYPES OF DURUM-WHEAT (TRITICUM-TURGIDUM SSP TURGIDUM-L CONV DURUM (DESF) MK) FROM JORDAN

A germplasm collection comprising 132 landrace genotypes of durum wheat (Triticum turgidum ssp. turgidum L. conv. durum (Desf.) MK., from 10 districts in Jordan was evaluated for days to booting (DB), days to heading (DH), days to anthesis (DA), days to maturity (DM), filling period (FP) and grain yield (GY). In spite of the relatively strong genetic (Gr) and phenotypic (Pr) correlation coefficients between the developmental traits, the variation among genotypes was significant. GY was only positively and significantly correlated with DA and FP, while it was negatively correlated with DH. Genotypes with different combinations of early, medium and late developmental traits have been identified. Different combinations of DH and FP may or may not lead to differences in DM and GY. However, genotypes with long FP and medium-late DH gave the highest grain yield. Multiple linear regression of the duration of maturity (M) stage on the duration of booting (B), heading (H) and anthesis (A) stages (M = - 260.87 + 2.09 B + 1.23 H + 0.9 A, R2 = 0.92) indicates that it is possible to manipulate the duration of these developmental stages and develop genotypes with high yield potential and early maturity, a highly desirable trait in drought-prone environments.