Adaptability of Some Bread and Durum Wheat Varieties in Eastern Saudi Arabia

Abstract

The performance of improved and local bread and durum varieties of wheat was compared on saline loam soil at the Hofuf Agricultural Research Centre. Improved varieties gave significantly higher yields than local varieties, with shorter stems, earlier maturity and heavier ears. On average, bread wheats were taller and earlier maturing than durum varieties. Ears of bread wheat varieties were, on average, longer but lower in ear weight than those of durum wheat. The mean yield of durum wheat varieties (7,027 kg/ha) was significantly greater than that of bread ones (6,747 kg/ha) The yield of bread wheat was closely associated with weight per ear and 100-grain weight, while that of durum wheat was associated more with the density of grains on the ear. 本文係報告中華民國駐沙烏地阿拉伯王國農業技術團於民國64年辦理小麥品種適應性試驗之結果。一般言之，改良品種均較未經改良之當地品種株矮、早熟、穗重而高產。就不同小麥而言，普通小麥較硬粒小麥株高、早熟、穗長而輕。硬粒小麥品種之平均產量（每公頃7,027公斤）顯著高於普通小麥者（每公頃6.747公斤）。前者受一穗著粒密度之影響較大，而後者則與穗重及百粒重之關係較為密切。