b. sadeghzadeh

In order to produce varieties of barley that tolerate drought and cold, Artan variety was entered into internal tests of the cold and temperate cold stations of the Dryland Agriculture Research Institute through the international center of ICARDA in the form of the of segregating populations (F3 generation) in 1997-98. Genetic purity was achieved by the modified bulk method. Then, during several years, it was evaluated in Maragheh, Shirvan, Ghamlo, Sararoud, Zanjan, Urmia and Ardabil stations in yield trials and yield stability experiment. The Artan variety with an average seed yield of 2.142 Kgha-1 had 11% higher seed yield than the Abidar check variety. Artan had relatively early maturity, height and high thousand-seed weight. Artan variety has general adaptability and good yield stability, facultative growth habit, resistance to seed shattering, tolerance to cold and drought, relative early maturity, high plant height (83 cm) and high thousand-seed weight (42 gr). It has also good level of resistant to yellow rust and brown rust diseases of barley. Artan variety was selected and released as a new cultivar due to its high yield and favorable agronomic characteristics for planting in the cold and moderately cold regions in rainfed areas of the country.

Barley is highly variable in adaptation to marginal environments. The main objective of barley breeding programs has been on improving yield by developing new cultivars with high grain yield and quality characteristics for different climates. Ansar is a new high yielding and drought tolerant cultivar of barley with facultative growth habit. It was released in the year 2013 for rainfed cold areas of Iran. Ansar originated from a cross Yea168.4/Yea605.5//Yea206-4A-3 (a high yielding line received from ICARDA). Based on regional yield trials, the average graind yield of Ansar was 3025 kgha-1, which was 55 kg higher than Sahand (2970 kgha-1). In comparison with Sahand (check), Ansar had 1-2 days early maturity, 4-6 cm taller stem, 1-2 g higher TKW. In onfarm trials, Ansar had 34, 12, 11% more grain yield than Sahand in Miyaneh, Oshnaviyeh and Piranshar regions, respectively. Ansar is tolerant to cold, drought, grain shedding, lodging, two-rowed variety with 73 cm plant height. Ansar is resistance to leaf strip, scald and powdery mildew and rust. It can be concluded that Ansar is not only a high-yielder, possesses better quality traits and tolerant/resistant to all diseases, but is also best suited in cold rainfed areas of Iran.Barley is highly variable in adaptation to marginal environments. The main objective of barley breeding programs has been on improving yield by developing new cultivars with high grain yield and quality characteristics for different climates. Ansar is a new high yielding and drought tolerant cultivar of barley with facultative growth habit. It was released in the year 2013 for rainfed cold areas of Iran. Ansar originated from a cross Yea168.4/Yea605.5//Yea206-4A-3 (a high yielding line received from ICARDA). Based on regional yield trials, the average graind yield of Ansar was 3025 kgha-1, which was 55 kg higher than Sahand (2970 kgha-1). In comparison with Sahand (check), Ansar had 1-2 days early maturity, 4-6 cm taller stem, 1-2 g higher TKW. In onfarm trials, Ansar had 34, 12, 11% more grain yield than Sahand in Miyaneh, Oshnaviyeh and Piranshar regions, respectively. Ansar is tolerant to cold, drought, grain shedding, lodging, two-rowed variety with 73 cm plant height. Ansar is resistance to leaf strip, scald and powdery mildew and rust. It can be concluded that Ansar is not only a high-yielder, possesses better quality traits and tolerant/resistant to all diseases, but is also best suited in cold rainfed areas of Iran.

Kamal, is a new winter bread wheat cultivar developed by the national rainfed bread wheat breeding program for the cold and temperate dryland areas of Iran. New cultivar created by crossing between Sbn//Trm/k253 and 88Zhong218//Ctk/Vee/3/Kvz/Gv//Prl in Maragheh Research Station. Kamal was selected from segregating population from F2-F7 in Maragheh (2002-2008) based on agronomic characteristics. Based on results, Kamal grain yield means in preliminary and advanced regional yield trail was 2234 and 1719 kgha-1, respectively. Results of elite trail in cold and moderate research stations (2012-2015) showed that the grain yield mean of Kamal was 2120 and means of Azar2 and Ohadi cultivars were 2066 and 2083 kgha-1, respectively. Kamal cultivar in East Azerbaijan province was compared with conventional control cultivars in the farmer fields for 3 years and the results showed that the average grain yield of Kamal and checks were 2604 and 2230 kgha-1 respectively. Kamal is a winter type variety with time to heading of 143 days, 67 cm plant height, 40, gr. 1000 kernel weight, 11.4% protein content, 20 ml Zeleni numer, 41 degree of hardness, 27% wet gluten and 15 unit of gluten index. Results revealed that Kamal cultivar is tolerant to cold and drought stresses, with suitable earliness, and good bread quality but susceptible to yellow rust and leaf rust, this xultivar way and released in 2019 under the name of Kamal for cold and moderate cold dry areas of Iran.

In order to produce wheat lines with high tolerance to drought and cold stresses, Sadra variety was generated by a cross between Sardari (male) and promising line Azadi/Azar (female) in Maragheh research station. Results of studies in the cold and moderate cold research stations showed that the grain yield means of Sadra, Azar2 and Sardari cultivars were 2394, 2332 and 2214 kgha-1, respectively, so that grain yield of Sadra was 8% and 3% higher than Sardari and Azar2 check cultivars, respectively. Sadra has a good adaptability to different climatic conditions, so that the new cultivar possess a great potential to be more productive during years with higher precipitation. According to the results, the mean grain yield of Sadra, Azar 2 and Sardari cultivars under optimal rainfall conditions were 3330, 3045 and 2522 kgha-1, respectively. Sadra cultivar has good general adaptability and grain yield stability, winter growth habit, high tolerance to cold and drought stresses, date to heading of 137 days, plant height of 80 cm and 1000 kernel weight of 35 gr. One of the most important characteristics of Sadra is its bread-making quality, so that Sadra with Zeleni number of 33, protein content of 11.3%, hardness of 47, wet gluten content of 30, gluten index of 50 and SDS sedimentation volume of 55 has a great bread-making quality. Based on its high yield potential and other appropriate agronomic characteristics, Sadra cultivar was released for cultivation in the cold and moderate cold dryland conditions of Iran.

Release of new wheat cultivars with good characteristics such as high yield performance and resistance to diseases for specific regions under rainfed condition is an essential task for sustainability of wheat production. Saein was generated by crossing between: Azar2 and 87Zhong291 (with facultative growth type, high yield performance, good thousand kernel weight and resistance to diseases) in 1999-2000 in Maragheh Research Station. Grain yield means of Saein and Azar2 (as check cultivar) during 2006-2013 cropping seasons in Maragheh Research Station were 2601 and 2493 kgha-1 under rainfed condition and 3529 and 3223 kgha-1 with a supplementary irrigation at the sowing time, respectively. Results showed that Saein had also a specific adaptability in Ardabil regions and grain yield means of Saein (new cultivar), Ohadi and Azar2 (as check cultivars) in Ardabil were 1604, 1267 and 1355 kgha-1, respectively. Results of an on-farm study, in the farmer field in Ardabil province, showed that grain yield means of Saein and Azar2 during 2013-2014 cropping season were 2307 and 2275 kgha-1, respectively. The new cultivar is resistant to yellow rust, resistant to moderately resistant to leaf rust and also resistant to common bunt and dwarf bunt as well as resistant to cold damage, lodging and seed shuttering. New cultivar has winter growth type, white grain color, 76 cm plant height and 33 gr 1000 kernel weight. Based on its good characteristics, this line was released as a new wheat cultivar with the commercial name of Saein in 2015 and was recommended for cultivation in rainfed regions in Ardabil province, in the cold dryland areas in the north west of Iran and also in areas with the potential of supplementary irrigation.