Enhancing food security in arid areas of Pakistan through newly developed drought tolerant and short duration mustard (Brassica juncea L.) Canola

2018 
Food security is the crucial global issue, especially in developing countries like Pakistan. Since edible oil is an essential food item, its persistent paucity in the country and huge import for meeting domestic requirements, has attained it second largest import item after petroleum products. The aim of present study is qualitative and quantitative evaluation of newly developed short duration and drought tolerant canola quality Brassica juncea lines ZBJ-06012 and ZBJ-08051 to overcome the unfavorable edible oil situation in the country. Thirteen lines were evaluated in randomized complete block design (RCBD) for seed yield, oil quality, maturity period and drought tolerance under different agro-climatic zones both in irrigated and arid areas across the Punjab province at eight locations in Micro Yield Trials during Rabi season 2012-13 and 2013-14. Presently, grown non-canola mustard varieties Khanpur Raya and Anmol Raya were used as check varieties. Brassica napus cultivars Punjab canola and Faisal canola were also included in the trials for comparison study of mustard and rapeseed genotypes. Data for all traits under observation was analyzed through Principle Component Analysis (PCA) to evaluate the best performing lines in irrigated as well as in rain fed areas. Principal Component Analysis showed first 2 PCs having Eigen value >1 explaining 76.4% and 72% of the total variation at irrigated areas and rain fed areas respectively. The mean seed yield was also compared by Least Significant Difference (LSD) test to study the significance at 5% probability level. Canola quality B. juncea lines ZBJ-06012 and ZBJ-08051 have shown good adaptability, early maturity, non-shattering, disease and drought tolerance traits with high yield potential in comparison with presently grown Brassica napus cultivars “Punjab Canola” and “Faisal Canola”. Due to these prominent features, these lines have a great scope for motivating farmers to grow canola quality B. juncea when compared with B. napus and non-canola B. juncea. Future challenges demand further development of high yielding, short duration and aphid tolerant mustard cultivars having high oil content and canola quality. There is a great potential of exploiting genetic variability in the existing B. juncea material to achieve the aforesaid goals by using conventional plant breeding techniques.
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