PERFORMANCE OF DIFFERENT WHEAT VARIETIES/LINES PLANTED OVER VARIOUS LOCATIONS IN DISTRICT DIAMER NORTHERN AREAS OF PAKISTAN

The main objective of the study was to evaluate the establishment of different promising spring wheat varieties/lines in terms of grain yield at different sites of District Diamer Northern Areas of Pakistan. Great variations exist in the agro ecological conditions within the region in terms of altitude, temperature and soil characteristics etc. Ten-spring wheat varieties/lines were evaluated for stability of grain yields over three locations, Juglote, Gonar Farm and Chilas during 2000-01. The results showed that wheat varieties Chakwal-97, Suleman-96 and Fakher-e-Sarhad gave higher mean grain yield of 4955 kgha-1, 4912 kgha-1 and 4576 kgha-1, respectively. The results also indicated that the performance of these varieties was not better at some locations but with improvement in environmental conditions provide higher grain yield. The wheat genotypes Nowshera-96 (bi = 4.76), Chakwal-97 (bi 2.71), Inqilab-91 (bi = 2.46) Suliman-96 (bi = 2.39) were more responsive (bi 1) to improved environmental condition. The genotypes 95C001 showed comparatively stable response (bi =1.27) as compared to the other test genotypes. Remaining genotypes in study had regression coefficient below unity (b 1) indicating their average response to only favorable environmental condition (low yielding).