S. Tomasovic and B. Koric

Institute for Breeding and Production of Field Crops -- Zagreb Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, University of Zagreb Marulicev trg 5/I, 41.000 Zagreb, Yugoslavia

-- How far have we reached in breeding winter wheat in the Institute for Breeding and Production of Field Crops?
-- Which problems occupy the experts most?
-- What can we expect from this work on certain problems in future?


In the Institute for Breeding and Production of Field Crops Zagreb, and its Department of Small Grain Cereal Crops in Botinec, breeding winter wheat has a long tradition. Work on development of winter wheat varieties is intensive and has been in progress for over 30 years. In that sense, breeding work was started as far back as 1947 by Dr. Josip Potocanac in the then Department of farming. The work increasingly progressed and the results we have today -- varieties -- present the world achievment in wheat breeding. High-yielding wheat varieties are developed, which, with modern production technology, produce yields of even more than 10 t/ha. Thirty-seven winter wheat varieties have been registered. To achieve this was not an easy job. The success was reached by united group work of experts of most diverse profiles.

Highly intensified work on wheat breeding is conducted within several programs whose basic objective is to develop semi-dwarf varieties with increased production, wide adaptability, satisfactory quality of grain and flour, and with genetic resistance to the most important diseases. Zg-model of wheat varieties is characterized by high grain yield based on increased plant density, nevertheless resistant to lodging. They remarkably withstand high densities and 600-800 spikes/m² is precisely what their yielding is based on, i.e. 600-800 germinable seeds/m² should be the seedling rate. Their tillering capacity is good and after overwintering they fill stands well. They are midearly varieties with good adaptability and yield stability. High yield stability of Zg-wheats is receiving much attention in this Institute and its Department of Small Grain Cereal Crops. In the process of breeding, selection is made among genotypes with such traits that allow the highest possible utilization of their genetic yield potential.

Materials used for breeding are our own wheat selections in combination with domestic or foreign sources of resistance and various varieties and lines that carry different positive agronomic and biological traits. From our own varieties, Zlatna Dolina, Sanja and similar genotypes have been used most, and also some lines from the breeding programs based on high production per spike using Rm and Ts genes. Thus, mean weight of kernels per spike ranges around 1g and considerably higher. Zlatna Dolina and Sanja were registered in 1971, and along with registered varieties from other institutes in the country present. a marked progress in Yugoslavia's winter wheat breeding. With reference to this, we must undeline the year 1974 at which time began rapid spread of our varieties in wide production, replacing foreign varieties that were dominating until then. This refers first of all to Italian, Russian and French varieties.

-->Next