Resumen

GUTIERREZ-GARCIA, Antonino Sebastián et al. Characterization of bread wheat using seed physical and physiological quality parameters. Agric. Téc. Méx [online]. 2006, vol.32, n.1, pp.45-55. ISSN 0568-2517.

The problems of stand establishment in rainfed wheat crops are related to seed quality. The aim of this work was to assess the bread-wheat-seed physical and physiological quality. The research was conducted during 2003 in the Seed Analysis Laboratory and greenhouse of the Colegio de Postgraduados, Montecillo, State of Mexico. Ten wheat cultivars of high vigor and industrial quality were utilized; in these seed size, hectoliter weight and the weight of 1000 seeds were determined. Three physiological quality tests were conducted, two in the laboratory (standard germination and coleoptile lenght), and one in a sand bed in the greenhouse, where the response to three planting depths (3, 6 and 9 cm) was measured as emergency rate, coleoptile length, plantlet length, and plantlet dry-weight. Data were analyzed as random blocks designs, and a subdivided plot design was used for the greenhouse data, as well as mean comparisons, analysis of correlations, and of genotype x environment interaction, where each planting depth was considered as an environment. Results indicated that the weight of 1000 seeds is an essential parameter for the selection of cultivars with the best physical and physiological seed quality. In the greenhouse test Tlaxcala F2000, Sokoll and Berkut cultivars had consistent emergency rates; Temporalera M87, Rebeca F2000 and Weebill 1 had a more consistent coleoptile length; and Berkut, Sokoll, Kambara 1 and Juchi F2000 had a more consistent plantlet length. Positive correlations were obtained between length of coleoptile and plantlet with the aerial part dry-weight, and between aerial part dry-weight and root dry-weight.

Palabras llave : Triticum aestivum L.; genotype x environment interaction; seed size; seed weight.