DROUGHT TOLERANT WHEAT CULTIVAR (RAJ) FOR RAINFED AREAS OF KPK, PAKISTAN

The wheat cultivar Raj 2002 having the parentage 1771, 5RK- 9RK-10RK during 1995-96 was first tested at Agriculture research institute D.I. Khan in the 16th Elite Screening Wheat Yield Trial (ESWYT) with local check variety BK-92. The line was selected on the basis of high yield (2839 kg ha^-1) as compare to check BK-92, (2421 kg ha^-1). Selected entries were promoted to B-2 test and MPT-4 (advanced yield trial) 1997-98 due to their high yield potential, disease and drought resistant and accepted stature as compared to Daman–98 and BK-92. Best performing entry Raj was promoted to Micro Plot Yield Trial in 1997-1998 and 1998-1999. Raj produced maximum yield of 3215 Kg ha^-1 vs. 2756 Kg ha^-1 of Rawal-87 during 1997-98. This selection was further evaluated for yield, disease and drought resistant and other agronomical traits in NUWYT conducted by National Agricultural Research Center, Islamabad at different sites in Pakistan (1854 to 3452 kg ha^-1) Table 6. Based on higher grain yield, disease and drought resistance and better grain quality, this entry was named as Raj and was approved by the Provincial Seed Council of Khyber Pukhtunkhaw (KPK) and released for cultivation in the rainfed areas during 2001.