Studying the main characteristics of wheat entries selected from international nurseries in the different agroclimatic conditions of Georgia

Georgia is considered one of the places of origin of wild wheat and the history of cereals has been beginning on its territory since times immemorial.  14 species of natural wheat are described and recorded in Georgia at different times (5 of them are endemics) and more than 150 old cultivars have been also recorded and described.  However, the areas of cultivated fields have significantly decreased in Georgia since 1992.  Although the climate in Georgia is very favorable for wheat production, nowadays, the wheat area is about 50 ha and average yield is 2.5 t/ha. The main reason for the current situation is that the farmers continue to plant old or poorly adapted imported cultivars. Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is a very important food crop in Georgia, especially, for the East Georgia drylands, where it has no practicable alternative in crop rotations. Therefore, strengthening the grain production in the country through growing improved varieties, is one of the internal priorities for the Georgian agricultural sector. In recent years, the situation was improved through the collaboration with the International Network (CIMMYT&ICARDA, BGRI) for monitoring cereal diseases and testing winter wheat nurseries. The research conducting in 2019-2020 in the framework of project #FR-18-978 will identify improved wheat genotypes, which will be superior to the current commercial cultivars of Georgia in terms of adaptation, yield, resistance to diseases and grain quality. In total nine genotypes of wheat from different International Nurseries-IN (20^thIWWIT-IR-17, 4^thIWWSRRN, 1^st CACWWYT) of ICARDA and CIMMYT including local variety Lomtagora 126 were tested at four locations of Georgia: Dedoplistskharo(Kakheti zone), Mtskheta(Shida Kartli zone), Borjomi(Samtskhe zone), Akhalkalaki(Javakheti zone). Each yield trial was planted on 10m² plots in four replications using a randomized block design. Common wheat yields, yield components (productive head/ m², grain/head and 1000 kernel weight) and grain quality (glute, protein content) were determined. In accordance with the results of yield trials, the highest yield showed the two genotypes: F885K1.1/SXL/3/OMBUL/A1AMO//MV11/4/BONITO-36 (IN-20IWWIT-IR-22) – and HBK0935W-24/K…105W2.1 (IN – 17IWWIT-IR-9807) with an average yield 7.8t/ha and 8t/ha and 1000 kernel weight –53g and 45g, respectively. The average yield of the rest genotypes was between 3.3 – 6.2t/ha. The grain quality and the bread-making quality of the majority varieties excluding two genotypes: SG-RU24/BILINMIYEN96.55(IN-20IWWIT-IR-13) and KUV/LJILN //ORACLE/ PEHLIVAN(IN- 20IWWIT-IR-17) were good. The septoria glume blotch, tan spot, stem rust, leaf rust and stripe rust were indicated on 8 entries with different severity. The promised genotypes were characterized by adult plant resistance to rusts and moderate resistance to glum blotch and tan spot. Analyses of the research results of 2021 did not complete yet.