Morphological characterization of some Tunisian bread wheat (TriticumaestivumL.) accessions

Abstract

Seventy four Tunisian bread wheat accessions were characterized using seven morphological traits: spike color, spike shape, spike density, beak shape, beak length, glume shoulder shape, grain color and grain size. Accessions with white spike, tapering spike shape, lax spike density, moderately curved beak shape, long beak, slightly sloping glume shoulder shape, white yellow and small grain were dominant. Based on the Shannon–Weaver Diversity Index (H’), accessions showed a great morphological diversity in beak length and glume shoulder shape (H’ = 0.82) illustrating a large diversity in this collections . Results showed that lowest values of H’ were obtained in spike density (0.10), spike color (0.17), spike shape (0.23), grain size (0.42), beak shape (0.62) and grain color (0.62). This data revealed that morphological traits might be used for an effective characterization of Tunisian bread wheat diversity and also the need to conserve and safeguard genetic diversity of this crop.