Canonical correlation analysis of phonological and other traits related to grain yield in different wheat genotypes under normal irrigation and stressed conditions at flowering time

In order to identify the correlations and relationships between different traits in the bread wheat, 30 genotypes were investigated as sub-factors under the split plot experiment in the completely randomized design in greenhouse and the randomized complete block design in the field with three replications under the normal irrigation and post-anthesis water stress conditions. The results of the canonical correlation analysis showed that at both normal and moisture stress levels, there was a significant correlation between the pair of canonical variables obtained from the phenological traits and the yield components. Under the normal conditions in the greenhouse, to increase the spike density and length, the number of days to 50% flowering can be considered as a suitable selection criterion. According to the results of canonical correlation analysis, under the stressed conditions in greenhouse, to increase the spike length, the number of days to the heading, maturity and 50% of flowering were among the important and effective factors. Under the optimum irrigation conditions in the field, the number of days to maturity was considered as one of the factors influencing the seed weight per spike. The results of canonical correlation analysis under the field stress conditions showed that to increase the 1000-seed weight, the number of days to maturity can be considered an appropriate selection criterion.