Selecting Jordanian Semi-Dwarf Wheat Genotypes With Long Coleoptile to Cope With Drought Prone Environments.

Reduced plant height genes (most commonly Rht-B1b (Rht1), Rht-D1b (Rh2), and Rht8) decrease lodging; and can increase harvest index, biomass, and grain yield in wheat. In this study, the differences in plant height in 21 wheat genotypes were tested in two agricultural stations in Jordan; the Jordan University of Science and Technology (JUST) campus research station located in the northern part of Jordan (drought area with less than 200 mm rainfall) and second location is the field site of the National Center for Agricultural Research and Extension (NCARE) at Maru (semi-humid area around 400 mm rainfall). In both locations, the genotypes were grown under irrigated and non-irrigated conditions using a split plot experimental design. Our results showed that the location by genotype interaction (L X G) was significant (P<0.05). In addition, there was a very high significant difference between the irrigated and non irrigated treatments (P<0.05). Genotypes responded differently in term of plant height within and among the locations. Safraa maan was the tallest genotype (113 cm) at JUST (irrigated) and Alliance was the shortest genotype (48.3 cm) at JUST (rainfed). Over all locations (irrigated and rainfed) Safraa maan and Ajlouni genotypes were the tallest genotypes (91.8 and 91.4 cm, respectively) whereas, the genotypes Ammon and Wesely were the shortest (70.3 and 69.1cm, respectively). Compared to Maru location, the plant height for the same genotypes in JUST station was significantly taller for the irrigated plots when compared with rainfed. To determine if the semi dwarf genotypes respond differently to the environment, the twelve genotypes will be assayed using molecular markers and the results of this analysis will be analyzed.