Zaheer Ahmad, M. Yaqub Mujahid, M. Anwar Khan, Shaheena Yasmin, M. Asif and Maqsood Qamar*
ABSTRACT
Wheat breeding efforts conducted at NARC, Islamabad have resulted in the development of a wheat variety suited for rainfed areas of Pakistan. NR-268 was selected from an exotic germplasm nursery (INQYT 2003-04) received from CIMMYT, Mexico. It was evaluated for five years in different trials. It was first tested in advance yield trial conducted at NARC, then in Micro Yield Trials conducted at nine locations by BARI, Chakwal and finally it was evaluated in National Uniform Yield Trials conducted in rainfed ecology of Pakistan for two consecutive years. The NR-268 performed better than all other lines including local check and gave 21.5% higher grain yield than check in Punjab and 8.3% higher yield on overall country basis during 2005-06; whereas, during 2006-07 it gave 26% higher grain yield than check in Punjab and 10.18% higher yield on overall country basis under rainfed conditions. On station agronomic trials of the line were also carried out. The variety possesses desirable characteristics such as resistance against yellow and leaf rust and also good quality. Spot examination of the line was conducted on March 24, 2009 and also recommended by experts of sub-committee of Punjab Seed Council in a meeting held at AARI, Faisalabad. The variety case was presented in Punjab Seed Council meeting and was approved as a commercial variety namely NARC-2009 for cultivation in rainfed areas of Pakistan.
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