Effect of Wheat Genotypes, Drought and Soil Salinity on Growth, Yield and its Components

SIX promising lines of wheat and two check cvs. Giza 168 and Sakha 93 were used to study the effect of genotypes on yield and its components under the effect of soil salinity levels (1680, 3100 and 7900 ppm) and skipping one irrigation at heading stage or at dough- ripe stage. Experiments were carried out at Demo Research Station, Faculty of Agriculture, Fayoum University during 2002/2003 and 2003/2004 growing seasons. The tested lines proved to be superior than Giza 93 and Giza 168 in yield and its components. Lines number 1 and 5 surpassed the other lines in most yield component traits in both seasons, except that seed index was greater in line 3, tillering index in line 2 in both seasons and harvest index in line 2 in the 2d season. Low soil salinity level was lesser in its harmful effect on yield and its components which increased gradually with increasing soil salinity level from 3100 to 7900 ppm; skipping irrigation at heading stage decreased the studied parameters followed by exposing to drought at dough ripe stage and normal irrigation, respectively, In relation to the three way interaction; higher measurements of number of tillers/plant, main stem spike length (cm), main stem spike weight (g), straw yield/plant (g) and biological yield/plant (g) in 2002/2003 season and main stem spike weight (g) in 2003/2004 were obtained from Line 5 when irrigated normally under Low soil salinity level