Effect of meteorological factors on heading time and plant height in wheat

Abstract

Change of meteorological factors throughout years causes different reactions of wheat genotypes in terms of trait expression. Effects of environmental factors (sum of active temperatures, total precipitation and insolation) on heading time and plant height were analysed in twenty-seven wheat genotypes of different geographical origin from 2009-2013. The selected genotypes were classified into three groups according to the heading time (early, medium early and late), and the height (low, medium or high). Canonical correlation analysis was used to determine the interdependence between environmental factors and wheat phenotypic traits. Within all three groups for plant height, Eigen value of the first canonical factor explained 86.9-98% of the variability, indicating one predominant factor in the expression of this trait. Within the groups for earliness, Eigen value of the first canonical factor explained 64.9-76.3% of the variability, indicating more predominant factors in the expression of this trait.