Multi-environment data of four popular timely and four late-sown bread wheat varieties was examined for five crop seasons at five locations i.e., 25 environments to derive sustainability index (SI) in twelve quality traits and grain yield. SI was very high in bread and chapati quality, test weight, and flour recovery; moderate in protein, grain hardness, biscuit quality, gluten strength, and gluten quality; and poor in gluten, zinc, and iron contents. The adverse effect of late plating was realized in the sustainability of sedimentation value, gluten index, and iron. Variation sources impactful in the vulnerable quality were trait-specific. Crop year was the primary variation source in grain hardness, protein, sedimentation value, gluten index, and biscuit quality whereas location effect was the key in protein, gluten, iron, and zinc contents. Even in the commercial varieties, genotypes regulated the variations recorded in the strength and quality of the gluten. Genotypic differences in sustaining quality were observed for biscuit quality in timely-sown wheat, and gluten index and iron in the late-sown wheat. The analogy has been drawn between the quality and productivity of wheat for sustainability and the effect of the variation sources. Prospects of improvisation have been explored by selection of a better genotype or location. It has been envisaged that climatic variations can be challenging in sustaining the quality of gluten; grain hardness and iron content.

An experiment was conducted at ICAR-Indian Institute of Wheat and Barley Research, Karnal, Haryana in which performance of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) varieties recommended for limited irrigation was compared utilizing the data generated in coordinated trials conducted during the period 2018–19 to 2022–23 at fixed sites in four agro- climatic zones of India. The yield loss, yield fluctuations, yield sustainability, shift in grain quality, physiological expressions and the key contributing traits were compared for the wheat varieties specific to such environments. In Indo-Gangetic plains (IGP), characterized as ME-1 by CIMMYT that includes two zones of northern India i.e. north- western plains zone (NWPZ) and north-eastern plains zone (NEPZ), limited irrigation expressed no abiotic stress on plant height, days to heading, maturity duration and grain weight and only grain bearing was adversely affected. In the warmer central-peninsular India (CPI) i.e. central zone (CZ) and peninsular zone (PZ) which is included in ME-5, there was a significant reduction in all the five traits. Yield reduction was highly significant in each zone and the yield loss varied zone-wise from 16% in NWPZ to 38% in PZ. It was more difficult to sustain wheat productivity under such situations. Protein content declined in IGP but CPI registered a significant gain in protein and gluten strength. Location specificity was apparent in each zone and durum was unsuitable for deficit irrigation. Farmer’s preference was restricted only to two zones namely CZ and NWPZ. For improving wheat varietal prospects under high temperature, supplementary irrigation has to be ensured at the time of heading beside CRI (crown root initiation) stage. This study suggested that irrigated wheat varieties can be tried for limited irrigation. The varieties that are particularly bred to tolerate moisture deficits should be preferred as the key yield contributing traits differ.

To ensure food security in India, not only the wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) productivity but yield sustainability is also crucial especially when the production environments are quite diverse. An experiment was conducted to examined multi-environment wheat yield trial data of popular wheat cultivars in two agro-climatically diverse regions i.e. north- western plains zone (NWPZ) and central zone (CZ) under timely-sown (TS) and late-sown (LS) conditions with an aim to differentiate yield and yield sustainability at the level of 4 production environment, 11 prominent locations and 7 crop years. Wheat productivity matched in both zones; yet the level of yield-sustainability was much less in warmer climate of CZ. Yield sustainability was poorest in late-sown wheat of CZ and the drop in sustainability index (SI) was realized in locations, years and genotypes. For grain yield; locations and location-year interaction mattered most in each production environments but the years were crucial only in NWPZ-TS. Results showed that yield sustainability of test sites can not be adjudged by its productivity alone. Location status was associated with the yield sustainability only in NWPZ. Substantial drop in sustainability could be noticed in some crop seasons of CZ but deviations in NWPZ were smaller. In test sites, the causative factors associated with yield-sustainability varied under different production environments. Genotype-year interaction was effective in each situation except CZ-LS where only the crop year variations were supreme. Variations in locations and genotypes mattered most in NWPZ-TS whereas the crop year deviations were impactful in NWPZ-LS and CZ-TS environments. Based on the results; prospect of improvisation and breeding strategy have been suggested to select suitable production sites and the genotypes.

Performance of wheat varieties released during the period 2010-21 has been examined for different production environments of India. Their productivity and quality characteristics have been reviewed for the ten year period 2012-21. Instead of central-peninsular India, now north-western plains are emerging as a territory where tremendous improvement has been observed not only in wheat productivity but also in quality characteristics like bread and chapati quality, grain weight, sedimentation value, gluten index and HMWGS combinations. With the advent of good quality wheat, prospects of commercialization have increased for the wheat harnessed under timely-sown condition of NWPZ. Breeding prospects for further improvement in value addition properties are also better in this zone. It has been suggested to promote and exploit commercial aspect of these assets gathered through successful wheat breeding.

Prospect of grain weight improvement in bread wheat has been reviewed by analysing 30-year data of the released and pre-released varieties evaluated in India during 1992–2021 under 10 diverse environments in five zones under timely and late sown conditions. The study reveals that enlargement of the reproductive phase by early heading and late maturity is feasible only in the environments where vegetative phase is large. This strategy of grain weight improvement can be effective in the northern hills of India for both timely sown (second fortnight of October) and late sown (first fortnight of December) wheat and it causes no reduction in the yield. This approach is also applicable in the agro-ecologies highly congenial for wheat growth as noticed in timely sown wheat varieties of western Indo-Gangetic plains. In areas where crop duration is short due to warmer climatic conditions like central and peninsular India, early heading can be effective for increasing grain weight, but it affects yield. Besides phenology, height can also be crucial in certain environments as it is closely related with grain weight in timely sown wheat of eastern as well as western Indo-Gangetic plains and late sown wheat of the northern hills. Height can also enhance the effect of phenological attributes in some environments. Under late heat-stressed environments, none of these parameters can be helpful in grain weight improvement. The study suggests that simultaneous improvement in grain weight and grain yield of wheat by the adoption of these predictors individually or in combination is possible in certain agro-ecologies of India.

Trial data for the period of 2005–2021 have been utilized to assess the inter-relationship of grain protein, iron, and zinc with different plant growth parameters in 10 agro-climatically diverse production environments. Protein registered strong association with the micronutrients. Iron increased with zinc until iron exceeded 50 ppm and zinc was more than 40 ppm. Barring the hills, iron content in late-sown wheat was higher than the timely-sown. Late-sown wheat also registered higher zinc content in four out of the five zones. Iron content was more variable in the late planted short duration genotypes. Analogy was observed between the three quality attributes for the response of plant height, pre- and post-anthesis durations. Comparison of different environments underlined that protein, iron and zinc contents are generally high in the environments where plants are not tall, pre-anthesis period is short and duration of the crop is not prolonged. Significance of the yield governing components was production environment specific. This Relationship was stronger in the late-sown wheat in comparison to the wheat varieties planted under timely sown condition especially in protein and iron. Collective contribution of these descriptors was highly significant but the major driving force differed and out of seven, only 1–2 plant growth parameters could be rated highly significant contributor. Selection criteria based upon only three parameters, i.e., height, heading and maturity have been suggested for certain situations. With some premium on yield, this simple methodology can surely be a way out to enhance grain nutrition properties of wheat.

Ranking test entries or test sites on a quality basis is very difficult in wheat as value addition is perceived by several grain properties and the quality of the end-products. Selection of elite lines is easy when a single quality trait is under consideration and unmanageable for multiple quality traits. Here, a novel approach has been developed and tested by deriving wheat quality index based on principal component analysis of 13 physico-chemical grain parameters and 3 end products of 45 wheat varieties. This novel approach has been developed to distinguish an array of high-yielding wheat varieties based on their overall quality status. Depending upon the wheat quality index range (0.15–0.71), the cultivars were assorted into three distinct categories, i.e. elite, moderate and poor. The top group ascertained genotypes with high-quality standards suited for bread and chapati, whereas the bottom group assured varieties suited for good quality biscuits. This technique was also tested to differentiate quality enriched test sites within a wheat-growing zone to demarcate the most suited production environments to harness good quality wheat. The index will have an implication on the farmers (premium price for varietal segregation), industry (product-specific quality cultivars), and consumers (superior quality products).

Yield sustainability in wheat is imperative for strategic planning to ensure food security in India; especially when the acreage is huge, production environments are diverse and the climate keeps changing. This study aims to mark footprints of global environmental change in wheat productivity and realize extent of this unharvested yield under Indian conditions by utilizing the multienvironment yield data generated by national wheat improvement program during the period 1995–2019. Although yield gain between start and closing period during 25 years was quite substantial, yield growth was limited in some environments reflecting interference of climate in harnessing benefits of varietal development. At a time when global warming is perceived as a big threat, positive trend in growth could be witnessed in some long-term varieties of dry and hot central India. Significant location–year interaction triggered yield fluctuations and uncertainty. Study illustrates that hidden impact of global warming can still be there even when average productivity shows no major deviation. Choice of production environment, site, and variety selection is crucial for yield sustainability in any environment. Success achieved in varietal improvement for yield sustainability suggests that adaptation under varying environments can be enhanced with some adjustment in crop phenology. Preference of highly sensitive sites for development or shuttle breeding and nonvariable sites for evaluation can help to develop climate resilience and ensure sustainable production in wheat genotypes.

The mean yield of the released and pre-released bread wheat varieties was examined for the period 1990-2020 to study progress in yield enhancement under ten diverse production environments of India. Productivity growth was examined in two growing conditions i.e. timely and late-sown prevalent in five mega zones of the country. Progression in the timely-sown wheat was prominent in all five zones as the growth rate was highly significant. In the late-sown category, growth was highly significant only in the Indo-Gangetic Plains (IGP) and central India. Yield enhancement in western IGP was continuous and many impactful varieties had been developed on the other hand in varietal development was slow in central India. In comparison, varieties released in eastern IGP were large in number but the yield level was not high. Growth in grain number was eminent in most of the environments. Improvement in grain weight was also visible in timely-sown wheat of eastern IGP and peninsular India. Reduction in grain weight has been observed in timely-sown wheat of northern hills. Varietal expression of wheat genotypes had changed a lot in the peninsular zone as plant height was reduced in both categories of wheat and maturity duration was reduced in the timely-sown wheat. High deviations and low productivity has made the late-sown wheat vulnerable and non-remunerative in hills and peninsular India.

Influence of crop seasons, sites and their interactions was examined to compare wheat grain quality in two important and agro-climatically diverse wheat zones of India i.e. north western plains zone (NWPZ) and central zone (CZ). Six leading cultivars of each zone were evaluated for eleven important parameters at five locations during four year study period. Locations made big difference in congenial environments of NWPZ but under hot and dry environments of CZ, chapati quality and sedimentation value remained unaffected. Crop season variations made no difference in chapati and grain appearance scores of NWPZ whereas test weight and grain hardness registered no impact in CZ. Variations imposed by sites and years were of the same magnitude in NWPZ but not in CZ. Under hot climate, seasonal variations superseded site differences for traits like chapati quality score, biscuit spread factor and sedimentation volume. In contrast, site differences assumed greater relevance than crop seasons in test weight and gluten content under such climates. Site-year interactions assumed significance in majority of the cases but such variations could not exceed variations in sites or crop seasons. Chapati quality in CZ was not affected by site-year variations. Biscuit quality, protein and gluten contents registered very strong influence of sites, crop seasons and their interactions. Site-variety interactions were inconsequential in both regions. Year-variety interactions also remained non-significant in majority of the traits in both zones except for chapati and bread quality scores in central India. Variations caused by genotype-environment interactions proved insignificant in quality of Indian cultivars but year-site interactions assumed significance although its impact was very small in comparison to site or crop seasons. Character response to sites and crop seasons was examined under different climatic conditions.

High yielding genotypes differing for high molecular weight glutenin subunits at Glu D1 locus in national wheat programme of India were examined for bread loaf volume, gluten and protein contents, gluten strength, gluten index and protein-gluten ratio. Number of superior bread quality genotypes in four agro-climatically diverse zones of Indian plains was comparable in both categories of wheat i.e., 5 + 10 and 2 + 12. There wasn't any difference in average bread loaf volume and grain protein content either. 5 + 10 wheats showed better gluten strength and their gluten quality was also superior in the zones where protein content was high. 2 + 10 wheats exerted more gluten due to better protein-gluten ratio. Good bread making in 5 + 10 was derived by better gluten strength and also gluten quality in certain regions but bread quality in 2 + 12 wheats was channelized through higher gluten content as they were more efficient in extracting gluten from per unit protein. Difference in route to bread quality was apparent as gluten content and gluten strength were the key gluten attributes in 5 + 10 whereas protein content and gluten index were prominent in 2 + 12 types. Unlike 2 + 12, there was a ceiling in gluten harvest of 5 + 10 wheats as higher protein failed to deliver more gluten after some limit.

Released and pre-released bread wheat varieties evaluated in national wheat programme of India (503 genotypes) during 2005-14 under different environments were examined for the role of physiological parameters in grain quality. Genotypes with slow plant height growth but faster rate of grain filling enhanced protein content. Plants where growth in height and grain development was slow, grains were hard, provided proportionate vegetative growth phase is longer. Steady grain growth rate benefited gluten strength and gluten quality. Irrespective of total crop duration, longer reproductive phase was an effective indicator of higher flour recovery and test weight. Magnitude and significance of morphological attributes in grain quality was almost similar to that of physiological processes, therefore prospects of utilizing these field traits were examined to enhance grain properties. Early heading and longer grain filling was effective to increase test weight whereas delayed heading and shorter plant height enhanced protein content. Bold grains hampered grain hardness and delayed heading added more bran in the flour. Genotypes with poor grain bearing and quick grain ripening had lower sedimentation value. Instead of protein, it was wet gluten which expressed negative association with yield. To improvise gluten quality, extended reproductive phase but with less grain weight was helpful. Contribution of longer post-anthesis period was observed crucial in flour recovery. These useful simple field expressions can be deployed to uplift quality of wheat grains.

Frequency of high yielding bread wheat genotypes with 5+10 and 2+12 banding patterns at Glu D1 locus was observed in 558 bread wheat entries evaluated during 2003-2013 in national wheat programme of India under different agro-climatic conditions. Frequency of 2+12 type wheats was much higher in the stressed environments suggesting preponderance of this category wheat under global warming. It could lower strength and quality of gluten but wet gluten per unit protein might improve, consequently, bread quality might decline. Chapati and biscuit qualities, protein content and flour yield might remain unaffected. More variations in end-products, flour recovery, protein and gluten contents and grain hardness are anticipated but variability in sedimentation volume and gluten index might squeeze. Shift in the route to product quality and flour yield is suggested under elevated temperature conditions with need to devise selection criteria for identifying product superior varieties of 2+12 category wheats.

Locations, crop years and their interactions for yield and quality determinants were compared by evaluating 14 wheat genotypes for four crop seasons across six diverse locations in India. A signifcant impact of locations, crop seasons and location-year interactions was noted for fve important agronomic and grain quality parameters. Sites and crop seasons were equally relevant for grain quality but in agronomic traits, sites contributed more to phenotypic expressions like plant height and days to heading. Genotype-environment interactions were rare as only genotype-location for sedimentation volume and genotype-year for grain hardness index were prominent but many genotypes could thwart such interactions, too. For all agronomic traits except kernel weight, locations expressed more variability than the genotypes. It is suggested that agronomic expression at a test site cannot be rated for any refection of grain properties but a crop season unfavorable for yield often has less desired quality attributes.