Variation in sterility among wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) genotypes in response to boron deficiency in Nepal

Two field experiments were carried out at the Khairanitar Farm, Nepal during the winter season of 1993 to investigate whether wheat genotypes differ in their sterility response to low soil boron and whether boron added to soil can correct sterility. A nursery consisting of 41 diverse genotypes from Nepal, India, Bangladesh, Thailand, China, Pakistan and CIMMYT/Mexico were evaluated in a plot where severe sterility had been observed in previous years. The second experiment involved six genotypes of known sterility responses to boron grown with or without an application of boron at 1 kg ha-1. Large differences were observed among genotypes in terms of number of grain set per ear (range 0.5 to 30) and sterility (5.5% to 97.5%). About one third of all the genotypes had <25% sterility and 16 of them suffered > 75% sterility. The genotypes Fang-60, Sonalika, De Mai 6-22, BUC/FLK/MYNA/VL and HDW-234 were highly tolerant to boron deficiency with < 10% sterility. In sharp contrast, genotypes BOW/BUT, SERI/THB, Glennson, SW-41, Yunmai-33 and UHU were highly susceptible and set virtually no grains in the boron deficient plots. Strong responses to boron application were observed and genotypic variations were evident. Boron at 1 kg ha-1 significantly reduced the number of late ears, increased number of grains per ear and grain yield in boron-responsive genotypes. Tolerant genotypes were not influenced by added boron. Given these striking genetic differences, progress in breeding wheat for B-deficient soils in Nepal should be worthwhile.