Arg, A New Bread Wheat Cultivar for Moderate Climate Zones of Iran with Salinity of Soil and Water

A breeding hexaploid salt tolerant wheat line (MS-81-14) was produced from crossing of an Iranian salt tolerant wheat line (1-66-22) with Inia cultivar (from CIMMYT) at Karaj Research Station in 1991-92 cropping season. The F1 plants were grown at Karaj in
1992-93 cropping season, furthermore F2-F6 populations were evaluated under salinity stress conditions (EcSoil&Water = 8-12 ds/m) in Isfahan (Rodasht Agricultural Research Station) during 1993-1999 cropping seasons. An extracted breeding line was evaluated in the preliminary yield trial of Yazd and Neishabour Stations and was picked based on its high yield as well as its good performance under salinity stress conditions in 1999-2000. This line was further tested in the preliminary regional yield trial of salt affected regions of temperate zone at two stations (Yazd and Isfahan) and with recorded yield of 6.483 tha-1 against 4.893 and 4.400 tha-1 of Kavir and and Roshan check cultivars, respectively was selected again in 2000-01. This line was tested in advanced and replicated trials over four stations (Yazd, Zabol, Kerman and Isfahan) in 2001-02 and with recorded grain yield of 5.55 tha-1 compared to 4.145 and 4.185 of Kavir and Roshan check cultivars, respectively under salinity stress conditions, as a superior line forwarded to adaptation trials. The adaptation and stability of this line were evaluated in a two years experiment tested over three stations (Yazd, Birjand and Isfahan) during 2002-2004 periods under salinity stress conditions (EcSoil = 8-14ds/m, EcWater= 8-12 ds/m), and with grain yield of 5.470 tha-1 against 4.650, 4.499 and 4.962 tha-1 of Kavir , Roshan and Bam check cultivars, respectively and due to its high stability (with Ys=23 against Ys= 8,7 and 17 of Kavir , Roshan and Bam check cultivars, respectively), high adaptability and good bread quality was considered as the most stable line for on-farm and extension trials which was followed in 2004-08 over different salt affected regions of temperate zone showing an average grain yield of 4.232 tha-1 for MS-81-14 against 3.673 and 3.769 tha-1 of Bam and Kavir check cultivars , respectively. The results of farmer conditions trials confirmed the wide adaptability and grain yield stability of the new line. Considering high grain yield, high adaptability and stability for saline areas and good grain quality (protein contents of 11.9% and hardiness index of 50 as well as good agronomic performance including resistance to lodging and shattering, this line named Arg and officially released in 2009 for cultivation in saline areas (with water/soil saline) farms of temperate zone, in Iran.