Evaluation of elite wheat genotypes in stress adoptive traits yield nursery under the agro climatic condition of Kohat Khyber Pakhtunkhwa-Pakistan

To ensure food security and fulfill the demand of ever increasing population, development of new high yielding, disease resistant, heat tolerant and stable performing genotypes is prerequisites. Keeping in view the current scenario of unpredictable environmental conditions, current research was carried out at Barani Agricultural Research Station Kohat Khyber Pakhtunkhwa-Pakistan during cropping season 2020-21 and germplasm were received from International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) Mexico. A set of 36 new diversified germplasm i.e. 28 new Physiological Trait (PT) genotypes, four (04) CIMMYT, s Checks, four (04) new PT Checks and one (01) local check (Kohat-2017) were evaluated for important traits. Statistical analysis of the recorded data revealed significant variation among the exotic germplasm for the studied traits. Heritability for days to heading and grain yield was high while, moderate for plant height. Among the physiological traits (PT) germplasm, PT-line-19 and Borlaug100 F2014 were found best for days to 50 % heading (105 days). PT-Line-16 and CIMMYT Check (BAJ #1) were found best for medium height (85 cm). Among the new wheat lines developed through physiological trait based breeding, PT Line-18 (4000 kg ha-1), PT line-19 (3931 kg ha-1), PT-line 07 (3861 kg ha-1) and PT line-26 (3856 kg ha-1) were found superior for grain yield as compared to the local check cultivar (Kohat-2017), new PT Checks and CIMMYT's Checks cultivars. The identified new germplasm could be used in future wheat breeding program as a source, to create new variability, widening germplasm gene pool and cultivar development programs.