Per se performance and genetic parameters of wheat lines expressing the “stay‑green” character

The objective of this work was to determine the per se performance and the genetic parameters of traits of interest in wheat inbred lines expressing or not the “stay‑green” character. The experiment was carried out in 2003, 2004, and 2005 in a randomized complete block design with three replicates. Thirty‑two sister‑lines of wheat, 15 with and 17 without the stay‑green character, were evaluated. The lines carrying this character showed higher grain yield, higher average number of kernels per ear, and lower weight of a thousand grains. Moreover, grain yield and grain mass heritabilities were higher in these lines, which reveled lower influence of environmental variation on the expression of these characters. The “stay‑green” character contributes to increase productivity and productive stability of wheat.