8th INTERNATIONAL WHEAT CONFERENCE

PhoToPeRIod SeNSITIVITy IN duRum WheAT
ANd ITS ImPLICATIoNS foR AdAPTATIoN
D. Villegas 1 , K. Ammar 2 , M.M. Cátedra 3 , C. Harrati 1 ,
S. Samah 1 , J. Crossa 2 , C. Royo 1
1 Cereal Breeding, IRTA, Rovira Roure, 191, 25198 Lleida, Spain
2 Global Wheat Program, CIMMYT, PO Box 6-641, 06600 Mexico
3 IFAPA, Centro Rancho de la Merced, Ctra. de Trebujena km 3.2, 11471 Jerez de la Frontera,
Spain
E-mail Address of presenting author: dolors.villegas@irta.es
The effect of photoperiod sensitivity on yield formation was studied on field experiments
conducted during two years at four latitudes, ranging from 19.3° N to 41.7° N, and involving
a set of 42 durum wheat inbred lines with contrasting phenology. The results revealed
that the yield of photoperiod-insensitive lines was mainly associated with biomass
at maturity and grain weight, with few differences between latitudes. In contrast, the traits
limiting the yield of the lines photoperiod-sensitive depended on the latitude. The yield
of the lines photoperiod-sensitive having earliness per se was similar to that of the photoperiod-insensitive
lines and greater than the photoperiod-sensitive lines with lateness.
Our results suggest that the consistency of yield associated traits in explaining the yield of
insensitive durum wheat lines across latitudes may be behind their wider adaptation.
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