A STUDY ON THE DETERMINATION OF GENOTYPIC VARIATION FOR SEED YIELD AND ITS UTILIZATION THROUGH SELECTION IN DURUM WHEAT (Triticum durum Desf.) MUTANT POPULATIONS

The effect of gamma irradiation on three spring durum wheat cultivars namely Salihli-92, Ege-88 and Gediz-75 were studied. Various doses of gamma irradiation i.e (0-150-300 Gy) were applied to dry seed. The mutated populations were grown at two locations (Bornova and Alasehir) in the 2003-2004 and 2004-2005 growing seasons. A total of 100 single plants were selected from each mutant and control populations in the 2003-2004 growing season. Twenty five percent selection pressure was applied. The progeny rows of the selected mutant plants were grown at two locations in the 2004-2005 growing season. A second stage selection was applied in each progeny population and selected mutant lines were advanced to the micro yield testing. Genetic advance at each stage of selection was estimated for single plant yield, and expected progeny means for plot yield was estimated. In certain mutant populations, heritability and phenotypic standard deviation values, genetic gains were higher than those of control population. The progeny means of the certain mutant populations were also higher when compared to control population.