Labuschagne, M. T.Bennie, A. T. P.Tesfaya, Amsal Tarekegne2018-05-182018-05-182001-03http://hdl.handle.net/11660/8314English: Analysis of genetic relationships in crop species can provide a relative measure of genetic diversity, an index of parental selection and structure for stratified sampling of populations. Seed storage proteins of 38 Ethiopian-grown and four advanced CIMMYT lines were fractionated by one-step sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) to assess the composition of the three major endosperm proteins, determine the level of genetic diversity and search for the number of clusters among the genotypes of hexaploid wheat which is believed to be a relatively recent introduction to the Ethiopian highlands. The results indicated that there was a wide range of allelic variation in the composition of gliadins, low molecular weight (LMWGS) and high molecular weight (HMW-GS) glutenin subunits among the different genotypes studied. A total of 82 polymorphic bands, i.e., 32 gliadins, 35 LMW-GS and 15 HMW-GS bands, were detected among the 42 genotypes. The mean protein-based genetic distance estimate was 0.609 unit with values ranging from 0.376 to 0.744 units. Over 80% of pairwise comparisons had genetic distance values between 0.440 and 0.700 units. Cluster analysis also resulted in five genetically distinct groups of genotypes. Soil waterlogging is a serious environmental stress affecting wheat production in the high rainfall or irrigated areas with heavy clay Vertisols. Sixteen bread wheat genotypes were evaluated for their tolerance to prolonged transient and continuous waterlogging treatments. The results indicated that increased severity of soil waterlogging stress significantly reduced grain yields and growth of wheat; continuous waterlogging, in particular, resulted in greater damage to the plants in terms of most of the characteristics studied. The results also demonstrated that there were marked genotypic differences among the wheat genotypes studied for waterlogging tolerance. Ducula xl, PRL/Sara, HAR 604 and Vee/Myna were relatively tolerant whereas Et-13 and K 6290-Bulk were most sensitive to waterlogging stress. Under continuous waterlogging, grain yield was correlated positively with grains per spike and spikelet, kernel mass, biomass yield, number of green leaves on the main stem, the stress tolerance index, and negatively with percentage leaf chlorosis, area under chlorosis progress curve and the stress tolerance index. Percentage leaf chlorosis, biomass yield, number of grains per spike and spikelet, and kernel mass accounted for over 88% of the total variation in the grain yield under continuous waterlogging. Heritability values of these characteristics and indices were also fairly large, indicating a promising gain from selection based on these characteristics. Waterlogging of soils restricts crop performance by altering the soil mineral nutrient. availability and uptake by roots. Two experiments were conducted to determine the effects of soil waterlogging on nutrient availability, and on the concentration and uptake of nutrients by wheat genotypes that differ in tolerance, and to assess the response of waterlogged wheat seedlings to foliar applications of selected nutrients. Root zone oxygenation was significantly depressed by the waterlogging treatments as indicated by significantly reduced soil redox potentials. All the IN Nlia-acetate (pH 7.0) extractable mineral nutrient concentrations in the soil increased as waterlogging severity increased. A significant differential response of wheat genotypes to the waterlogging treatments was detected for several mineral nutrient concentration and uptake parameters. Compared to the tolerant genotypes, the sensitive genotypes appeared to accumulate more Fe, Mn, and Na although the concentrations were far below the level of toxicity reported for these nutrients, and less Cu, Zn, K, Pand N with concentrations lower than the "critical" values previously reported for wheat. The results from the foliar application study indicated that waterlogging tolerance of wheat could be improved with the foliar application of Zn, Cu and P. A study was undertaken to assess the combining ability effects, variance components, heterotic responses, heritability and correlations of waterlogging tolerance in a diallel cross involving five diverse bread wheat genotypes with contrasting tolerance response to waterlogging stress. The results showed that genotypic variability accounted for most of the variation among genotypes studied. Highly significant general combining ability (GCA) and specific combining ability (SCA) were observed for most of the characteristics studied, indicating that both additive and dominance gene effects were important in the inheritance of the waterlogging tolerance. GCA effects, however, were relatively more prevalent than SCA effects on most of the characteristics studied. The tolerant genotypes PRL/Sara and Ducula were the best combiners for waterlogging stress tolerance and for most other agronomic characteristics studied. Relatively high estimates of heritability and predictability ratios were also observed for most characteristics relevant to waterlogging tolerance, confirming the importance of both additive and non-additive gene effects in controlling the waterlogging tolerance in wheat genotypes studied. The degree of dominance for waterlegging tolerance characteristics was estimated to be in the partial and complete dominance range. Under waterlogging conditions, grain yield correlated with genotypically and phenotypically positively with all its components, biomass yields, plant height, days to heading, number of green leaves on the main stem and stress tolerance index, and negatively with percentage leaf chlorosis, area under leaf chlorosis progress curve and stress susceptibility index. Substantial mid- and high- parent heterotic responses were observed for most characteristics in some crosses.Afrikaans: Analise van genetiese verwantskappe in gewasse kan 'n relatiewe meting gee van genetiese diversiteit, 'n indeks vir ouer seleksie en struktuur vir gestratifiseerde monstering van populasies. Saad storings proteïene van 38 Etiopiese koring cultivars, en vier gevorderde CIMMYT lyne is gefraksioneer met een-stap natrium sulfaat poliakrielamied gel elektroforese (SDS-PAGE) om te toets vir die samestelling van die drie belangrikste endosperm proteïene, en vir die graad van genetiese diversiteit, en om te soek vir die aantal groeperings binne die genotipes van heksaploïede koring, wat 'n relatiewe onlangse introduksie is in die Etiopiese hooglande. Die resultate het getoon dat daar 'n groot reeks van alleliese variasie is in die samestelling van gliadiene, lae molekulêre gewig (LMW-GS) en hoë molekulêre gewig (HMW-GS) subeenhede. 'n Totaal van 82 polimorfiese bande is gevind, dit is 32 gliadiene, 35 LMW -GS en 15 HMW-GS, in die 42 genotipes. Die gemiddelde proteïen gebasseerde genetiese afstand skatting was 0.609 eenhede, met waardes wat wissel van 0.376 tot 0.744 eenhede. Meer as 80% van die paargewyse vergelykings het genetiese afstande tussen 0.440 en 0.700 eenhede gehad. Vyf duidelike genotipe groeperings was sigbaar. Grond versuiping is 'n ernstige omgewings stremmings faktor wat koring produksie beïnvloed in hoë reenval of besproeiings areas met swaar klei Vertisol grond. Sestien brood koring genotypes is geëvalueer vir hulle toleransie vir voortgesette wisselende of permanente versuiping. Die resultate het aangetoon dat toename in versuipings stremming 'n betekenisvolle afname veroorsaak in opbrengs en groei van koring, deurlopende versuiping veral, het groot skade by plante veroorsaak in terme van alle gemete eienskappe. Die resultate het ook aangetoon dat daar groot genotipe verskille was tussen die cultivars. Ducula x 1 PRL/Sara, HAR 604 en VeelMyna was redelik tolerant, terwyl Et-13 en K 6290-Bulk die mees sensitief was vir versuipings stremming. In deurlopende versuiping was graan opbrengs positief gekorreleer met korrels per aar en blompakkie, korrel massa, biomassa opbrengs, aantal groen blare per hoof halm, die stremmings toleransie indeks, en negatief met persentasie chlorose, area onder die chlorose ontwikkelings kurwe en die stremmings toleransie indeks. Persentasie blaar chlorose, biomassa opbrengs, aantal korrels per aar, en blompakkie en korrel massa het 88% van die totale variasie in graan opbrengs onder deurlopende versuipings toestande verklaar. Oorerflikheids waardes van hierdie eienskappe en die indekse was redelik hoog, wat aandui dat daar goeie vordering sal wees vir seleksie vir hierdie eienskappe. Versuiping van grond beperk gewas ontwikkeling deurdat dit grond mineraal beskikbaarheid en opname deur wortels beïnvloed. Twee proewe is gedoen om die effek van versuiping op voedingsstofbeskikbaarheid te evalueer, en om die konsentrasie en opname van voedingstowwe deur genotipes met verskillende vlakke van toleransie te toets, en ook die respons van saailinge op blaar toedienings van sekere voedingsstowwe. Wortel sone oksiginering is betekenisvolonderdruk deur albei versuipings behandelings, soos aangedui deur 'n betekenisvolle afname in grond redoks potensiaal. AI die 1N NH4 asetisaat (pH 7.0) eksraheerbare mineraal voedingstof konsentrasies in die grond het toegeneem soos versuiping vererger het. 'n Betekenisvolle differensiële reaksie van koring genotipes op behandeling is gesien vir verskillende mineraal voedingsstof konsentrasies, en opname parameters. In vergelyking met die tolerante genotipes, het die sensitiewe genotipes meer Fe, Mn en NA geakkumuleer, alhoewel die konsentrasies vêr onder toksiese vlakke was wat bekend is vir die voedingstowwe, en minder Cu, Zn, K, P en N geakkumuleer met konsentrasies minder as die "kritiese" waardes wat voorheen vir koring gerapporteer is. Die resultate van die blaar toedienings studie het aangetoon dat versuipings toleransie in koring verbeter kan word deur die blaar toediening van Zn, Cu en P. 'n Studie is gedoen om kombineervermoë, variansie komponente, heterose, en korrelasies van versuipings toleransie in 'n dialIele kruis met vyf diverse brood koring genotipes met kontrasterende toleransie vir versuipings stremming. Die resultate het getoon dat genotipiese variabiliteit verantwoordelik was vir meeste variasie tussen die genotipes. Hoogs betekenisvolle algemene kombineervermoë (GCA) en spesifieke kombineervermoë (SCA) is gesien vir meeste eienskappe, wat aandui dat beide additiewe en dominansie geen effekte belagrik is vir die oorerwing van versuipings toleransie. GCA effekte was egter relatief meer belangrik as SCA vir meeste van die eienskappe bestudeer. Die tolerante genotipes PRL/Sara en Ducula was die beste kombineerders vir versuipings toleransie en vir meeste ander agronomiese eienskappe bestudeer. Relatiewe hoë oorerflikhede en voorspelbaarheids verhoudings is gesien vir meeste eienskappe relevant vir versuipings stremmings toleransie, wat bevestig die belangrikheid van beide additiewe en nie-additiewe geen effekte in die beheer van versuipings toleransie in koring genotipes bestudeer. Die graad van dominansie vir versuipings tolerante eienskappe is vasgestel in die gedeeltelike of volledig dominante reeks. Onder versuipings toestande, het graan opbrengs genotipies en fenotipies gekorreleer met alle komponente van opbrengs, en met biomassa opbrengs, plant hoogte, dae tot aarstoot, aantal groen blare op die hoof halm en stremmings toleransie indeks, en negatief met persentasie blaar chlorose, area onder blaar chlorose ontwikkelings kurwe en stremmings vatbaarheid indeks. Betekenisvolle mid- en hoër ouer heterotiese respons is gesien vir meeste eienskappe in sommige kruisings .enPlants -- Effect of soil moisture onPlant-water relationshipsCrops -- Effect of drainage onWheat -- Breeding -- EthiopiaThesis (Ph.D. (Plant Breeding))--University of the Free State, 2001ThesisUniversity of the Free State