Unravelling QTLs for Non-Destructive and Yield-Related Traits Under Timely, Late and Very Late Sown Conditions in Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

Twenty-one quantitative trait loci were discovered across six environments, including three (NS), seven (LS) and eleven (VLS) conditions. The linkage groups 1A, 1B, 2A, 2B, 2D, 3B, 4A, 6A, 6B and 7D spanned quantitative trait loci (QTLs). For canopy temperature (CT), a stable QTL (Qct_rpcau_4A) in the environment E6 has shown a phenotypic variance (PVE) up to 17.85%. The QTL, Qspad_rpcau_2D, was found to be stable for SPAD value, explaining the PVE of 15.05%. Whereas, three stable QTLs viz. Qgy_rpcau_3B, Qgy_rpcau_4A and Qgy_rpcau_6A were associated with the chromosomes 3B, 4A and 6B explaining a PVE of 20.85%, 17.43% and 17.37% respectively for the trait GY. The interaction of genotype and environment has been shown to be useful in determining the best lines for heat-stressed environments. In addition, G X E analysis was performed on the population. In the ranking of genotypes for both mean yield and mean vs. stability, GGE biplot across the six environments, DH 146, 195, 60, 202, 65, 155, 124, 5, 201, 169, 15 and 170 were ranked closest to ideal and winning genotype; these were highly adapted and most stable lines. The goal of the current investigation was to find the best suitable double haploid lines which can withstand heat stress and to find those QTLs which are influential to heat stress for the studied traits.