Ramification of Yield in Hallmark Wheat Germplasm of the Indo-Gangetic Plains of India

The two mega-zones located in the Indo-Gangetic plains receive a great attention by the All India Coordinated Wheat and Barley Improvement Project in developing high yielding wheat varieties for timely sown irrigated conditions. Breeders from either zone can compete in releasing wheat varieties for both the zones. Even though varieties have been notified for the NEPZ in the recent past, release of new varieties has remained elusive in wheat bowl of the country. It has been difficult to break the yield plateau in the NWPZ whereas varieties in the adjoining NEPZ could be released and that too by breeders from the NWPZ. It is therefore necessary to understand the critical components that contribute to yield in either/one. By examining the hallmark germplasm of either zone. it was noted that the main yield determinants are different in these zones. Direct and indirect effect of those key characteristics and the inter-relationship with other components have been investigated to understand differences in yield route among the two group of varieties that have been widely accepted in the Indo-Gangetic plains.