Differential tolerance of durum (Triticum durum) and bread wheat Triticum aestivum) varieties to manganese in a manganese deficient field

A field experiment was conducted during rabi season of 1996-97 to study the tolerance of 5 wheat varieties (Triticum durum and Triticum aestivum) to manganese stress in a soil containing 1.8 mg DTPA-Mn/kg soil. The treatments were control and three foliar sprays of 0.5% manganese sulphate solution. Significant differences were found between varieties for grain yield, Mn concentration and Mn uptake with the addition of Mn. The grain yield of wheat under Mn stress condition was 1.50-4.40 tonnes/ha. Though all the varieties responded to foliar application of Mn, the increase in grain yield varied from 13.6 - 73.3%. The Triticum durum varieties ('PBW 34' and `PDW 233') responded more to Mn than the Triticum aestivum ('PBW 373','Raj 3765' and 'PBW 343') varieties. Further trials at 6 locations with varying levels of Mn deficiency showed increase in the wheat grain yield with foliar sprays of Mn, emphasizing the importance of Mn fertilization when wheat is grown on Mn-deficient soils.