Cultivation factors affecting durum wheat performance under speed breeding conditions

Area of Science:

• Agricultural Science
• Plant Breeding
• Horticulture

Background:

• Speed breeding accelerates crop improvement by enabling multiple generations per year.
• Optimizing environmental conditions is crucial for maximizing plant productivity in controlled environments.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of pot size, soil type, fertilizer, and foliar application on wheat growth.
• To identify optimal conditions for enhancing wheat productivity under speed breeding.

Main Methods:

• Wheat growth was studied in a greenhouse using controlled conditions (photoperiod, temperature, humidity, light intensity).
• Varied pot sizes, soil compositions (100% peat), and fertilizer formulations (20.20.0 NPK) were tested.
• Foliar fertilizer applications were applied at specific growth stages (tillering, stem elongation-heading).

Main Results:

• The highest wheat productivity was observed with deep pots (270 cm³), 100% peat soil, and 20.20.0 NPK fertilizer.
• Optimal foliar fertilizer application timing was during the tillering and stem elongation-heading stages.

Conclusions:

• Specific environmental and nutritional factors significantly influence wheat productivity in speed breeding systems.
• Findings provide a basis for optimizing speed breeding protocols to accelerate the development of resilient and productive wheat varieties.