Barzegar, a new irrigated bread wheat cultivar, with high adaptability and yield stability, suitable for moderate climate saline lands

Salinity stress is a major constrain of plant growth and limiting factor of crop production in arid and semi-arid regions in the world. Wheat cultivar Barzegar is derived from the cross between an Iranian highly adapted wheat, Pishtaz cultivar and Karchia cultivar (salt tolerant cultivar from India) as female and male parents, respectively, at Seed and Plant Improvement Institute, Cereal Research Department in Karaj. Subsequent selection among segregating populations of this hybrid was done at experimental field of Yazd station. Results of yield trials and on-farm evaluations in the temperate zone showed that under salinity stress conditions (EcSoil =8-12 dsm-1 & EcWater =8-13 dsm-1), Barzegar exhibited a superior performance compared to the check cultivars Bam and Arg, and its average grain yield was 659 kg (16.5%) higher than average grain yield of check cultivars. Based on ranking method Barzegar had high stability and adaptability under saline conditions compared to the check cultivars. Under farmer's conditions trials its average grain yield was 4381 kgha-1, nearly 20% higher than average grain yield of check cultivars (3648 kgha-1). Barzegar exhibits lodging resistance and has non-shattering spikes, but has moderately resistant susceptible infection responses to rusts. However, under dry conditions of saline areas of Iran no susceptibility to these diseases is observed. Based on good agronomic performance consist of resistance to lodging and shattering, and high adaptability and stability and good quality in saline condition compared to checks (Bam, Arg and Ofogh), Barzegar released for cultivation in the saline areas (with saline water/soil) farms of temperate zone, in Iran.