Progress in Yield and Yield Attributes of Bread Wheat from 1968 to 2011 in Thrace Region

In the study, 30 genotypes, including 24 varieties of bread wheat (registered or produced between 1968 and 2011 in the Thrace Region) and 6 local pure lines, were used. Grain yield and some yield attributes such as plant height, spike length, number of spikelets per spike, number of grain per spike, grain weight per spike and harvest index were evaluated in the study. Regarding the data obtained, significant progress has been made in wheat breeding between the years 1960-2011. While plant height, spike length and the number of spikelets per spike decreased, plant grain yield, grain number per spike, thousand grain weight, harvest index and grain yield increased continuously. When the obtained data were evaluated, grain yield was the most important selection criterion in all breeding periods, while the harvest index and the number of grains per spike were determined as important selection characteristics. In recent years, thousand grain weight and spike length are important characters in terms of selection.