Assessing variety mixture of continuous spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) on grain yield and flour quality in Northeast China

Abstract

Wheat (<em>Triticum aestivum </em>L.) variety mixtures represent a relatively unexplored <br>avenue for maintaining yield and improving flour quality. A field experiment was <br>conducted to examine the responses of three spring wheat varieties in pure variety <br>and in variety mixtures under continuous cropping in Northeast China. Three modern <br>spring wheat varieties, along with a three-variety mixture and a two-variety mixture <br>of equal proportions, were planted during the growing seasons of 2006 to 2009. The <br>mixtures were chosen mainly to have complementary traits of yield potential and <br>grain quality. Wheat yield was not affected by continuous cropping but by growing <br>conditions, varieties and variety mixture. Yield stability of 3-variety mixture <br>exceeded that of the pure varieties. The 3-variety mixture consistently out-yielded the <br>means of the respective components (mid-components), with a mean advantage of <br>0.17 t ha-1 over the different growing conditions. Variety mixture offers greater yield <br>advantages over lower-yield but good-quality variety and improves dough <br>rheological properties and some chemical properties over the higher-yield variety. <br>The 1:1:1 variety mixtures have greater environmental plasticity and potential <br>application in improving flour quality than pure varieties and are therefore <br>recommended for use to Northeast China’s wheat growers even in the absence of <br>severe disease. <br><em>Keywords: </em><em>Triticum aestivum</em>; Cultivar blends; Yield stability; Flour quality; Test <br>weight; Sedimentation value.