Abstract:

To screen excellent winter wheat varieties suitable for planting in the Huang-Huai-Hai Wheat Region, 60 winter wheat varieties were used as experimental materials, and 12 trait indicators such as growth period, population structure, yield components and stress resistance were determined. Comprehensive evaluation was conducted by adopting principal component analysis and cluster analysis. The results showed that there were significant differences among the 12 traits, with the coefficient of variation ranging from 1.4% to 28.3%. Yield was extremely significantly positively correlated with the whole growth period, maximum tiller number and heading days, while extremely significantly negatively correlated with the comprehensive disease resistance index. Five extracted principal components accounted for a cumulative contribution rate of 77.517%, and the constructed comprehensive evaluation model could effectively quantify the comprehensive performance of varieties. The top 10 varieties in comprehensive score had an average yield of 11737.8 kg/hm², which was 11.2% higher than that of ‘Zhoumai 36’ (control), and these varieties could be used as core varieties for key promotion or high-yield research in the Eastern Henan Wheat Region. Cluster analysis divided the 60 varieties into 3 groups, among which 18 varieties in group Ⅰ showed the best comprehensive performance, and the application scenarios of each group were clarified. The results of this study can provide a theoretical basis for the regional layout, production selection and breeding improvement of wheat varieties in the Huang-Huai-Hai Wheat Region.

Key words: winter wheat, cultivar screening, principal component analysis, cluster analysis, agronomic traits, comprehensive evaluation