Genotype × Environment Interaction for Wheat Yield Traits Suitable for Selection in Different Seed Priming Conditions

Area of Science:

• Agricultural Science
• Nanotechnology
• Plant Physiology

Background:

• Seed priming is a common technique to improve wheat's nutritional value, grain yield, and related traits.
• Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) offer potential for agricultural applications due to their unique properties.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of seed priming with varying concentrations of ZnO NPs on yield-related traits in four winter wheat genotypes.
• To analyze genotype-environment interactions affecting wheat performance under ZnO NP treatment.

Main Methods:

• Wheat seeds were primed with different ZnO NP concentrations (0, 10, 100, 1000 mg L⁻¹) for 48 hours.
• Primed seeds were sown in pots and grown to maturity over two consecutive growing seasons (2018/2019, 2019/2020).
• Additive Main Effects and Multiplicative Interaction (AMMI) models were employed to assess genotype and environment effects.

Main Results:

• Seed priming with ZnO NPs significantly increased wheat traits including field emergence, plant height, spike length, and grain yield per plant.
• The highest concentration of ZnO NPs (1000 mg L⁻¹) resulted in a reduction of these observed traits.
• AMMI analysis confirmed significant genotype-environment (G×E) interactions, highlighting the complexity of trait variation.

Conclusions:

• ZnO NPs show promise for enhancing key agronomic traits in wheat, but optimal concentration is crucial.
• The study underscores the importance of considering G×E interactions when applying nanotechnology in wheat cultivation.
• Further research into optimal ZnO NP application strategies for different wheat genotypes is warranted.