| Single Grain Weight and Protein per Grain. The results (Table 3 and 4) reveal that the association, between single grain weight and protein per grain of all the parents, F1 and F2 combinations, was positive and highly significant (P>0.01). This indicates that absolute protein content closely depends upon the grain size. In F1 population the coefficient of determination (r2) values show a maximum variability upto 90.71 percent in protein per grain due to its relationship with grain weight, and regression coefficient (b) values indicate a maximum increase of 0.2268 miligrams of absolute grain protein with the increase of weight of one miligram per grain, Whereas, in F2 population the maximum variability 89.87 percent was recorded in absolute protein content due to its relationship with grain weight and the maximum increase of 0.1778 miligrams of protein per grain was noted with the increase of weight of one miligram per grain. This confirms the possibility of using the single grain weight as a phenotypic marker in selecting high grain protein yield. The results are in agreement with JAIN et al. (1976), who reported the similar results while working on breeding for higher protein yields in bread wheat. Boldness of Grains and Grain Protein Percentage. The grains were grouped into three categories viz. bold grains, intermediate grains and shrivelled grains. It is quite clear from the results (Table 5) that shrivelled grains, in all the combinations, had a higher grain protein content than the bold grains. This tendency of association, of high protein percentage with shrivelled grains, is probably the cause of negative correlation between grain yield and grain protein percentage. These results confirm the conclusion that incomplete development of seeds, which is caused by unsuitable climatic conditions greatly affect on the grain stract deposition and proportionately protein percentage is increased. The results are in confirmation with IONESCU et al. (1967), who reported the similar results while working on some biochemical characters of winter bread wheat in Romania. References BABYAKIN, V.M. & G.V. PISCUNOVA. 1979. Titologia i Genetika 13(3) : 187-193. COCHRAN, V.L., R.L. WARNER & R.I. PAPENDICK. 1978. Agron. J. 70(6) : 964-968. COWLEY, C.R. & D.C. WELLS, 1980. Crop Sci. 21 : 55-58. DUBETZ, S., E.E. GARDINER, D. FLYNN & A. IAN DE IA ROCHE. 1979. Can. J. Plant Sci. 59(2) : 299-305. IONESCU, M., N.N. SAULESCU, M. FERENDO, M. VISARION & M. IVANESCU. 1979. Revue Roumaine de Biochimie 4(1) : 19-23. JAlN, H.K., N.C. SINGCAL & A. AUSTIN. 1976. Zeitschrift fur Pflanzenzuchtung 77(2) : 100-111. JOHNSON, V.A., J.W. SCHMIDT & P.J. MATTERN. 1971. Proc. Third FAO/Rockefeller Foundation Wheat Seminar. 29 April-13 May, 1970, Ankara Turkey : 166-172. KERTESZ, Z., J. MATUZ and Z. BARABAS. 1980. Cereal Res. Comm. 9(2) : 381-384. MCNEAL, F.H., M.A. BERG, C.F. MCGUIRE, V.R. STEWART & D.E. BALDRIDGE. 1972. Crop Sci. 12(5) : 599-602. SHAHANI, N.M. 1980. Ph. D. Dissertation, Inst. Agronomy, N. Baleescu, Romania : 1-144. SHAHANI, N.M., S.A. LARIK and N. CEAPOIU. 1983. Wheat Infor. Serv. 56 : 20-23. SIEDECOR, W.G. 1956. Statistical methods. 5th Ed. The IOWA State College Press, Ames, IOWA. |
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