wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is a species that, due to its genetic improvement, currently has wide soil and climate adaptation, being cultivated from regions with a desert climate, in some countries in the Middle East, to regions with high rainfall, such as China and India (Cadore & Marcolin, 2011). Based on knowledge of the characteristics of wheat cultivars and their productive potential, it is possible to choose the best cultivars to maximize grain production in a given region.
Currently, the world's annual wheat production exceeds 640 million tons, representing the second largest grain production in the world, surpassed only by corn. This situation allows this crop to make a significant contribution to the agricultural economy, being considered a staple food due to the numerous derivatives obtained from its industrialization, such as bread, pasta, cookies, among others (Cadore & Marcolin, 2011). Furthermore, it can be used to reduce erosion during periods of higher rainfall in winter, due to the good amount of straw that remains in the soil during crop rotation. As a result, it is estimated that there is an approximate 20% reduction in the costs of summer crops that are preceded by wheat (Colle, 1998), which is fundamental for the crop rotation system and consolidation of direct planting in the South region. from Brazil.
In Rio Grande do Sul, the sown area has stabilized at approximately one million hectares, 6,4% higher in the 2012/2013 harvest compared to the previous harvest. This was due to the good sales value of the product, stimulated by a limited relationship between local supply and demand and the occurrence of insufficient production from the main international suppliers (Conab, 2014).
The causes for the productive increases in wheat cultivation are the reduction in the cycle of cultivars combined with the greater efficiency of cultivars in converting water and CO2 in dry matter, resistance and/or tolerance to diseases, lodging, natural threshing and improvement in the industrial quality of grains. Factors related to sowing quality, such as adequate spacing, depth and population density, respecting the period indicated for sowing according to agricultural zoning recommendations for the producing region, as well as investments in liming and fertilization. The management of invasive plants, diseases and pests is essential to achieve the maximum potential of the chosen cultivar (Embrapa, 2011).
In recent decades, the advent of new technologies has made it possible to increase the average productivity of wheat crops, which was from 700kg/ha (1950s to 1960s) to more than eight thousand kg/ha (Embrapa, 2013). On average, replacing wheat cultivars allows productivity to increase by 44,9kg/ha/year. This evolution is one of the largest considering 13 international studies carried out in different countries.
In the Brazilian market, the producer has more than 106 wheat cultivars (seed market availability and registered with the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply) for cultivation in three wheat-growing regions. These cultivars adapt to the most diverse realities and technological standards, however, little is known about their development in the different regions and climatic conditions of Brazil, which makes the decision-making process difficult and with a high degree of uncertainty.
To identify the ideal cultivar for each area, it is necessary to carry out experiments in different contrasting locations, in which several cultivars are evaluated (Cargnin et al, 2006). However, for certain characters of interest, mainly grain production, the interaction of genotypes with environments occurs, which is a differential response of genotypes to changes in the environment (Allard, 1999), which makes it difficult to identify superior cultivars, when performance inconsistency occurs in different environments (Carvalho et al, 2002). However, when considering a property, it is not recommended to base it on just one cultivar, but on a set of cultivars that can be used depending on their size and management capacity. In this context, this work presents a discussion regarding wheat cultivars, along with their characteristics for the central region of Rio Grande do Sul, in order to assist producers in defining cultivars for the next harvest.
The work was carried out in two different locations, one in the experimental area of the Research Group on Large Crops, of the Department of Phytotechnics of the Center for Rural Sciences, on the campus of the Federal University of Santa Maria, and the other at Cooperativa Central Gaúcha LTDA ( CCGL), in the municipality of Cruz Alta, Rio Grande do Sul.
In the experimental area of Santa Maria, 11 wheat cultivars were used, sown on June 6, 2013. In Cruz Alta, at CCGL, two trials were carried out belonging to the State Cultivar Trial (EECT) network under the responsibility of Fepagro, using 30 cultivars from different breeders. The sowings for Cruz Alta took place on June 1, 2013 and June 25, 2013. When checking the averages of the evaluated characteristics (Table 1), the hectoliter mass (kg/hl) was observed, considered as a measure indirect assessment of wheat quality and is widely used for classification during marketing. In Brazil, wheat is sold using, as a reference value, MH equal to 78kg/hl. Obtaining a high MH value means greater flour yield during milling. Adverse factors to the crop, such as, for example, rain at the time of physiological maturation, lower the MH. In the experiment carried out, except for the cultivar Fundacep Bravo (MH 72kg/hl), the other cultivars showed good MH, between 77kg/hl and 78kg/hl.
With regard to grain productivity (Table 1 – Santa Maria), it was observed that the cultivars Tbio Itaipu (4.628kg/ha), Quartzo (4.350kg/ha), Mirante (4.107kg/ha) and BRS 327 ( 4.057kg/ha) are those that presented the best results. When comparing with the average productivity of the state of Rio Grande do Sul in this same harvest, which was 3.060kg/ha, these cultivars show an average increase of 40% in relation to the state average. The cultivar with the lowest grain production is Tarumã, with an average of 2.464kg/ha (it must be considered that this is material with dual suitability and has not been subjected to grazing). Grain productivity is a measure that has strong genetic control, being very dependent on the management adopted by the producer and soil and climate conditions throughout the crop cycle.
In the thousand grain mass (MMG) variable, it can be observed that the cultivars BRS 327 and Mirante presented the highest averages, being 41,09 grams and 40,27 grams, respectively. This parameter is used to classify wheat, as grains of excessive size are not desired by the industry, as they can cause losses due to difficulties in regulating cleaning and grinding equipment. On the other hand, very small grains can pass through the cleaning sieves and cause losses in flour production, due to a decrease in the amount of ground wheat (Gutkoski et al, 2007). This parameter is very important for estimating crop productivity and, in the case of seeds, batch quality and calculating seeding density (Cunha, 2004)
Table 1 – Average hectoliter mass (MH, kg/hl), grain yield (PG, kg/ha), and thousand-grain mass (MMG, g) of different wheat cultivars. Santa Maria, RS, 2013
| CULTIVATE | MH | PG | MMG |
| BRS TARUMÃ | 78 to | 2464 c | 26,90 d |
| OR/BIOTRIGO QUARTZ | 77 to | 4350 to | 36,17 b |
| OR/BIOTRIGO MIRANTE | 77 to | 4107 to | 40,27 to |
| TBIO ITAIPU | 77 to | 4628 to | 36,50 b |
| FUNDACEP RAIZES | 78 to | 3382 b | 34,67 b |
| FUNDACEP BRAVO | 72 b | 3782 b | 29,49 c |
| BRS 327 | 77 to | 4057 to | 41,09 to |
| TBIO PIONEER | 77 to | 3661 b | 33,89 b |
| BRS GUAMIRIM | 78 to | 3953 b | 35,96 b |
| BRS331 | 78 to | 3852 b | 32,52 c |
| TEC VIGORE | 77 to | 3772 b | 30,56 c |
| MEDIA | 76,9 | 3819 | 34,36 |
| CV (%) | 2,11 | 10,86 | 5,82 |
CULTIVATE
MH
PG
MMG
BRS TARUMÃ
78 to
2464 c
26,90 d
OR/BIOTRIGO QUARTZ
77 to
4350 to
36,17 b
OR/BIOTRIGO MIRANTE
77 to
4107 to
40,27 to
TBIO ITAIPU
77 to
4628 to
36,50 b
FUNDACEP RAIZES
78 to
3382 b
34,67 b
FUNDACEP BRAVO
72 b
3782 b
29,49 c
BRS 327
77 to
4057 to
41,09 to
TBIO PIONEER
77 to
3661 b
33,89 b
BRS GUAMIRIM
78 to
3953 b
35,96 b
BRS331
78 to
3852 b
32,52 c
TEC VIGORE
77 to
3772 b
30,56 c
MEDIA
76,9
3819
34,36
CV (%)
2,11
10,86
5,82
*Averages followed by the same letter in the column do not differ statistically using the Skott-Knott test (p>0,05).
In Table 2, the productivity results of the 2013 EECT are presented, for the general average of the state of Rio Grande do Sul, and the numbers for two sowing seasons in Cruz Alta. Taking into account the general average of the state, some cultivars can be highlighted, such as TBIO Sinuelo (5.541kg/ha), Mirante (5.312kg/ha), TEC Vigore (5.217kg/ha), TBIO Mestre (5.187kg/ha ) and Quartz (5.136kg/ha). The results of the state average allow us to verify the productive stability of the cultivars that ranked in the top five positions, which increases the chance of success in choosing one of these cultivars.
In Cruz Alta, in the first sowing season, among the five most productive cultivars, Mirante (7.788kg/ha), BRS328 (7.504kg/ha), Amethyst (7.463kg/ha), TEC Vigore (7.411kg/ha) can be highlighted. ha) and TBIO Mestre (7.281kg/ha). In the second sowing season, the cultivars BRS 327 (3.819kg/ha), TBIO Itaipu (3.713kg/ha), TBIO Tibagi (3.642kg/ha), Mirante (3.590kg/ha) and Fundacep 52 (3.580kg/ha).
Table 2 - Productivity (Prod) (kg ha-1), position in the general classification (Class) and statistical classification group (Estat) using the Skott-Knott test (α = 0,05) for genotypes evaluated in the State Trial of Wheat Cultivars 2013. Fepagro – RS
| Genotype | EECT 2013 | ||||||||
| RS General Average | Cruz Alta (1/6) | Cruz Alta (25/6) | |||||||
| Prod¹ | Class² | Stat³ | Prod |
| State | Prod |
| State | |
| AMETHYST | 4.825 | 14 | d | 7.463 | 3 | a | 2.837 | 30 | b |
| BRS 327 | 4.790 | 18 | d | 6.095 | 22 | b | 3.819 | 1 | a |
| BRS 328 | 4.511 | 25 | e | 7.504 | 2 | a | 3.403 | 15 | a |
| BRS 331 | 4.395 | 28 | e | 5.956 | 24 | b | 2.870 | 29 | b |
| GUAMIRIM | 4.552 | 24 | e | 6.053 | 23 | b | 3.510 | 9 | a |
| BIG | 4.998 | 9 | c | 7.133 | 8 | a | 2.983 | 26 | b |
| CAMPEIRO | 4.798 | 16 | d | 7.043 | 10 | a | 3.301 | 18 | a |
| CD 1440 | 4.822 | 15 | d | 7.232 | 7 | a | 3.128 | 24 | b |
| CD 1550 | 4.671 | 21 | d | 6.176 | 21 | b | 3.038 | 25 | b |
| ATRIA STAR | 5.040 | 7 | c | 4.824 | 30 | b | 3.468 | 11 | a |
| FUNDACEP 52 | 4.795 | 17 | d | 6.799 | 15 | a | 3.580 | 5 | a |
| FCEP BRAVO | 4.634 | 22 | d | 5.956 | 25 | b | 3.444 | 14 | a |
| HORIZON | 4.916 | 11 | c | 6.863 | 12 | a | 3.453 | 13 | a |
| FCEP ROOTS | 4.487 | 27 | e | 6.835 | 13 | a | 3.295 | 19 | a |
| JADEITE 11 | 4.831 | 13 | d | 6.390 | 20 | b | 3.280 | 20 | a |
| JF 90 | 4.489 | 26 | e | 6.424 | 19 | b | 3.475 | 10 | a |
| IVORY | 4.706 | 20 | d | 6.829 | 14 | a | 2.965 | 27 | b |
| VIEWPOINT | 5.312 | 2 | b | 7.788 | 1 | a | 3.590 | 4 | a |
| QUARTZ | 5.136 | 5 | b | 6.907 | 11 | a | 3.527 | 7 | a |
| TBIO ALVORADA | 4.736 | 19 | d | 5.824 | 27 | b | 2.919 | 28 | b |
| TBIO IGUAÇU | 5.033 | 8 | c | 7.235 | 6 | a | 3.357 | 16 | a |
| TBIO ITAIPU | 5.063 | 6 | c | 6.747 | 17 | a | 3.713 | 2 | a |
| TBIO MESTRE | 5.187 | 4 | b | 7.281 | 5 | a | 3.460 | 12 | a |
| TBIO PIONEER | 4.994 | 10 | c | 6.525 | 18 | a | 3.515 | 8 | a |
| SELECT TBIO | 4.332 | 30 | e | 5.534 | 29 | b | 3.166 | 22 | b |
| TBIO SINUELO | 5.541 | 1 | a | 7.055 | 9 | a | 3.267 | 21 | a |
| TBIO TIBAGI | 4.386 | 29 | e | 5.841 | 26 | b | 3.642 | 3 | a |
| FRONT TECH | 4.569 | 23 | e | 5.777 | 28 | b | 3.350 | 17 | a |
| TEC VIGORE | 5.217 | 3 | b | 7.411 | 4 | a | 3.534 | 6 | a |
| TOPAZIO | 4.842 | 12 | d | 6.756 | 16 | a | 3.164 | 23 | b |
| CV (%) | 11,40 | 11,58 | 11,65 | ||||||
Genotype
EECT 2013
RS General Average
Cruz Alta (1/6)
Cruz Alta (25/6)
Prod¹
Class²
Stat³
Prod
State
Prod
State
AMETHYST
4.825
14
d
7.463
3
a
2.837
30
b
BRS 327
4.790
18
d
6.095
22
b
3.819
1
a
BRS 328
4.511
25
e
7.504
2
a
3.403
15
a
BRS 331
4.395
28
e
5.956
24
b
2.870
29
b
GUAMIRIM
4.552
24
e
6.053
23
b
3.510
9
a
BIG
4.998
9
c
7.133
8
a
2.983
26
b
CAMPEIRO
4.798
16
d
7.043
10
a
3.301
18
a
CD 1440
4.822
15
d
7.232
7
a
3.128
24
b
CD 1550
4.671
21
d
6.176
21
b
3.038
25
b
ATRIA STAR
5.040
7
c
4.824
30
b
3.468
11
a
FUNDACEP 52
4.795
17
d
6.799
15
a
3.580
5
a
FCEP BRAVO
4.634
22
d
5.956
25
b
3.444
14
a
HORIZON
4.916
11
c
6.863
12
a
3.453
13
a
FCEP ROOTS
4.487
27
e
6.835
13
a
3.295
19
a
JADEITE 11
4.831
13
d
6.390
20
b
3.280
20
a
JF 90
4.489
26
e
6.424
19
b
3.475
10
a
IVORY
4.706
20
d
6.829
14
a
2.965
27
b
VIEWPOINT
5.312
2
b
7.788
1
a
3.590
4
a
QUARTZ
5.136
5
b
6.907
11
a
3.527
7
a
TBIO ALVORADA
4.736
19
d
5.824
27
b
2.919
28
b
TBIO IGUAÇU
5.033
8
c
7.235
6
a
3.357
16
a
TBIO ITAIPU
5.063
6
c
6.747
17
a
3.713
2
a
TBIO MESTRE
5.187
4
b
7.281
5
a
3.460
12
a
TBIO PIONEER
4.994
10
c
6.525
18
a
3.515
8
a
SELECT TBIO
4.332
30
e
5.534
29
b
3.166
22
b
TBIO SINUELO
5.541
1
a
7.055
9
a
3.267
21
a
TBIO TIBAGI
4.386
29
e
5.841
26
b
3.642
3
a
FRONT TECH
4.569
23
e
5.777
28
b
3.350
17
a
TEC VIGORE
5.217
3
b
7.411
4
a
3.534
6
a
TOPAZIO
4.842
12
d
6.756
16
a
3.164
23
b
CV (%)
11,40
11,58
11,65
¹Prod: Grain productivity (kg ha-1). ²Class: Position of the cultivar in the classification. ³Stat: Result of the comparison of means using the Skott-Knott test at a 5% probability level.
SOURCE: Fepagro, 2013
The full EECT 2013 results can be accessed on the website: http://www.fepagro.rs.gov.br/upload/1395063424_Relatorio Resultados EECT 2013 (versão site).pdf. In addition to productivity numbers, data on MH, MMG cycle, plant height and test locations can be found, serving as a tool for producers to understand the performance of cultivars in their region.
The success of a commercial crop necessarily depends on the agronomic performance of the cultivars being implemented, the adaptability and stability of wheat genotypes, which help the breeder in recommending new materials and which cultivars on the market have better results in the localities. where they are being sown, indicating lineages of broad or specific adaptation to the environments. This procedure is particularly important for wheat cultivation, especially taking into account the great diversity of environments to which the cereal is subjected in Rio Grande do Sul.
Furthermore, the reaction of cultivars to the main diseases that affect the crop must be considered. With regard to disease management, several strategies must be used, which include crop and cultivar rotation.
The choice of the appropriate cultivar, added to environmental factors such as the distribution of rainfall and temperature, correct fertilization and the establishment of crop rotation schemes with legumes, combined with adequate phytosanitary management, make up the main factors that must be observed to obtain the desired technological quality. And this must always be accompanied by the use of a cultivar that responds or expresses its maximum potential in the different conditions to which it is exposed. With important information regarding the performance of these cultivars, the producer will be ready to choose the material that responds to the characteristics of his property, thus assisting in his decision making. Furthermore, the zoning and cycle of each cultivar must be observed, adapting existing cultivars on the seed market to the requirements, needs and potential of the areas to be sown with wheat.
Check out the article in issue 181 of Grandes Culturas.
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