ANNOUNCEMENTS
The Indo-Gangetic Plains, also known as South Asia's breadbasket and the home to about one-seventh of the world's population, yield approximately fifteen percent of the world's wheat. Fifty-one percent of this ideal area for wheat farming is predicted to be transformed into a heat-stressed, short-season, sub-optimal wheat growing zone by 2050. In many northern and central Indian places, farmers want to grow wheat earlier in the season to take benefit from the residual soil moisture. It is possible to extend the time windows for spring wheat, when crops are planted in advance of the planting time. The early wheat establishment was initiated at BISA in Ludhiana, India, in the 2017 season, and after three years of extensive research, several data points were generated. With data points, the current study focused on finding wheat lines for early establishment by analyzing agro-morphological traits, mapping genes or QTLs associated with early adaptation features and occurrence of yellow rust disease for early adapted genotypes. Planting two to three weeks earlier, for instance, was effective by having a much more extended period for crop growth and saving one irrigation due to the availability of residual moisture following monsoon season. Early sowing allowed for genotype selection that can withstand in early high temperatures and a longer phenological period. A set of idiotypes was designed and needed to be assessed across environments, particularly under early planting conditions for performance study and genotype selection. Idiotype consists of higher photo-growing degree days for booting and heading along with grain filling period were more adapted to early planting than timely planting. Delayed senescence with a lower canopy temperature increase rate was an excellent feature for early adapted idiotypes.
Genotype screening in early planting and idiotype design with consistent and suited characteristics for improved performance under early sowing would therefore constitute a new avenue in wheat breeding. GWAS found several QTLs associated with early adaptation for yield and yield contributing traits. Novel QTLs along with known loci were identified for the same. Several phenology affecting genes like Vrn and Ppd were also found in the same locus, contributing to early adaptation. Unfortunately, the well-adapted genotypes for early establishment tend to have higher percentages of YR spots. The infection type scored for the genotype selected for early planting also shows more S (susceptible) type reactions than timely adapted genotypes. Interestingly, more R (resistant) and MR (moderate resistant) types of reactions were also found in early than timely adapted genotypes.
