Assessment of infertility in winter wheat varieties in 1997-98 recommended list and national list trials

Abstract

The relationship between ear fertility and yield was examined across winter wheat varieties grown in National List (NL) and Recommended List (RL) trials in Scotland, 1997. Fertility was defined as the percentage of florets to set seed.

The number of grains and sterile grain sites per ear were recorded in 17 NL2/RL varieties at Aberdeen and Kelso and in 19 NL1 varieties at Aberdeen. Mean fertilities in NL2/RL varieties at Aberdeen and Kelso were 59% and 67%, respectively. Mean fertility in NL1 varieties was 50%. Yields of NL2/RL varieties at Aberdeen were 1.1 - 4.6 t/ha below the yield of their Kelso counterparts. Most of the selected NL1 and NL2/RL varieties at Kelso were comparable to their UK averages.