Evaluation and Selection of Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) Advanced Lines for Salt Tolerance in Bangladesh

The present study was carried out to investigate the genetic variability in advanced wheat lines and to identify superior advanced lines under salinity stress based on yield and yield-related traits. The evaluated advanced lines were derived through accurate pedigree selection method. Fifty wheat lines were evaluated in 2011-2012 wheat season at Regional Wheat Research Centre, Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute Gazipur, Bangladesh under salinity stress condition. Various statistical tools were used in analyzing the data. Genetic variability was found among the evaluated wheat genotypes for all the traits studied. The evaluated lines were grouped into five clusters using cluster analysis ranging from high salt-tolerant to salt-sensitive genotypes. High to intermediate broad-sense heritability for measured traits showed their potential to be utilized under salinity stress for identifying salt- tolerant wheat lines. The traits under this study showed highly significant positive relationship with yield in terms of genotypic and phenotypic correlations. This indicated that all traits were important in influencing grain yield and could be exploited as selection criteria for improving grain yield of wheat under saline conditions. Eight wheat lines were selected as high salinity tolerant genotypes that would further be used in the breeding program to develop saline tolerant wheat varieties.