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Early Maturing Wheat Genotypes for Better Integration in Rice-Wheat Croping Systems in Kashmir Valley of Western Himalayas
Journal article   Open access

Early Maturing Wheat Genotypes for Better Integration in Rice-Wheat Croping Systems in Kashmir Valley of Western Himalayas

Reyazul Rouf Mir, Mukesh Rathore, Nikita Aggarwal, Farkhandah Jan, Safoora Shafi, Mohd Tahir, Mohd. Ashraf Bhat, Mohd. Anwar Khan and Parvaze Ahmad Sofi
Journal of Cereal Research, Vol.17(3), pp.264-279
2026
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CC BY-SA V4.0 Open Access

Abstract

Wheat productivity in the temperate Himalayan region of the Kashmir Valley remains low due to recurring early-season cold stress, which delays phenological development and disrupts the timely rice–wheat cropping system. To address this challenge, 20 diverse wheat genotypes, including two regional checks (Shalimar Wheat-1 and Shalimar Wheat-2), were evaluated across five cropping seasons (2020–2025) under temperate field conditions at Wadura, SKUAST-Kashmir. Eight key agro-morphological traits—days to 50% flowering, days to maturity, plant height, spike length, spikelets per spike, grains per spike, estimated grain yield, and thousand-grain weight, were assessed to quantify phenotypic and genetic variation. Pooled ANOVA revealed significant effects of genotype, environment, and genotype × environment interaction for most traits, highlighting substantial diversity and environmental influence. Considerable phenotypic variation was recorded across all traits. Genotypes WW-103, WW-101, and WW-102 consistently exhibited the earliest flowering and maturity, with WW-103 achieving the highest yield (4.69 t ha⁻¹), outperforming the checks. PCV values exceeded corresponding GCV values, indicating environmental modulation, while high heritability (76.97 to 97.37 %) confirmed strong genetic control. Positive correlations among spike-related traits and yield emphasized their importance under temperate conditions. Overall, WW-101, WW-102, and WW-103 show strong potential as early-maturing, high-yielding candidates suited to the Kashmir Valley’s cold-prone climate and for strengthening rice–wheat cropping system adoption.

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