AGRONOMIC AND MORPHOLOGICAL EVALUATION OF THE CULTIVARS OF DURUM  WHEAT: Triticum durum Desf CULTIVATED IN THE PALM GROVES OF THE VALLEY OF OUED  RIGH (ALGERIAN SOUTH-EST)

A ALLAM; A TIRICHINE; H MADANI; W BENLAMOUDI; Y ATTALI

A ALLAM Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique d'Algérie (I.N.R.A.A.) - Division de Recherche d'Agronomie Saharienne - Station expérimentale de Sidi Mehdi B.P. 17 Touggourt - Algérie
A TIRICHINE Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique d'Algérie (I.N.R.A.A.) - Division de Recherche d'Agronomie Saharienne - Station expérimentale de Sidi Mehdi B.P. 17 Touggourt - Algérie
H MADANI Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique d'Algérie (I.N.R.A.A.) - Division de Recherche d'Agronomie Saharienne - Station expérimentale de Sidi Mehdi B.P. 17 Touggourt - Algérie
W BENLAMOUDI Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique d'Algérie (I.N.R.A.A.) - Division de Recherche d'Agronomie Saharienne - Station expérimentale de Sidi Mehdi B.P. 17 Touggourt - Algérie
Y ATTALI Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique d'Algérie (I.N.R.A.A.) - Division de Recherche d'Agronomie Saharienne - Station expérimentale de Sidi Mehdi B.P. 17 Touggourt - Algérie

Keywords: Oued Righ, palm groves, agrobiodiversity, plant genetics, cereals

Abstract

The wheat, formerly cultivated in the oases of Sahara becomes more and more rare. According to people resources, some cultivars are extinct. This work joins within the context of the evaluation of cereal genetics resources in Saharan regions of Algeria. It is about the characterization of five cultivars of durum wheat (Triticum durum Desf.). The experimental study was conducted at research station of Sidi Mehdi, Touggourt. The experimental design was a randomized complete block with four replications. Thirteen biometric characters and heading stage date are tested. Principal Component Analysis illustrates distinct variation between cultivars from the same region. Some of them present good characters such as: high yield and early heading stage. This demonstrates the crucial interest of preserving these cultivars to exploit their genetic potential in a breeding program.