Importance of old bread wheat varieties in biodiversity

Abstract

The cultivation wheat in past century influenced that varieties have acquired certain specific forms of adaptation and changed their hereditary basis. Farmers, have their priorities in selecting a variety for traits yield, lodging resistance, and protein content. Wheat breeders pay more attention to balance those traits with others, like nutritional quality, disease resistance into a combination going to be attractive to a grower. Aim of this study is estimation of share of old wheat varieties in improving yield, quality and adaptation of developed modern bread wheat varieties. İn this investigation analyzed diversity and fluctuation wheat varieties which grown in Serbia from 19 to 21 century. İn the end of 19th century farmers grown indigeneous population, introduced foreign genotypes, local populations, old varieties approved after period of Green Revolution and modern wheat varieties. Also in study presented work on collection old wheat genotypes and local population, and distribution genotypes on localities were collected as well İnstitution where collected genotypes deposited. The differences between old and modern wheat varieties were established for yield, protein content, quality, resistance to diseases, resistance and susceptibility to low temperature, lodging etc. On the base of analysis can be concluded that old varieties and local populations are valuable resources of desirable genes for further wheat breeding for improving yield, quality and adaptability of further varieties which will be create.