Adaptation of CIMMYT wheat germplasm in China's spring wheat regions

【Objective】Information on adaptation of CIMMYT wheat germplasm in China would greatly enhance wheat breeding efficiency in China's spring wheat regions.【Methed】Twenty-five spring wheat cultivars including 10 from CIMMYT and 15 from China,were sown at 9 locations in China and 4 management environments in Obregon Station at CIMMYT in 2001 and 2002 seasons,and grain yield,yield components,and other agronomic traits were investigated.【Result】CIMMYT cultivars were characterized by more spikes and grains per spike,medium thousand kernel weight,and high grain yield with broad adaptability.The photoperiod sensitive cultivars from Heilongjiang province performed tall plant height,late maturity,medium spike number,but low grains per spike,thousand-kernel weight,and grain yield.The other Chinese cultivars had medium plant height,early maturity,low spike number and medium grains per spike,but high thousand kernel weight,and medium grain yield.CIMMYT cultivars performed short plant height,earlier maturity,and a little lower grain yield when planted in China's spring wheat regions compared with that inCIMMYT.The photoperiod sensitive cultivars had taller plant height,later maturity,and much lower grain yield,while the other Chinese cultivars showed taller plant height,a little later maturity,and a little lower grain yield with almost the same thousand kernel weight when they were planted in CIMMYT.【Conclusion】It is recommended to directly use CIMMYT wheat in production in Yunnan,Qinghai,and Xinjiang provinces.CIMMYT wheat can also be used in production in such provinces as Inner Mongolia,Gansu,and Ningxia provinces,and are more suitable as crossing parents in these areas;while only can be used as crossing parents in Heilongjiang province.In order to improve the shuttle breeding efficacy,and taking into account the genotype mean repeatability for major traits,Chinese scientists should focus on lines with large grain size when selecting materials in CIMMYT for China,choosing lines with short plant height,late maturity for Yunnan,and lines with a little tall plant height and early maturity for Inner Mongolia,Gansu,Ningxia and Xinjiang,lines with a little tall plant height and around the same maturity for Qinghai,while lines for high latitude environment with a little tall plant height and late maturity for Heilongjiang.