Screening diverse wheat genotypes for manganese efficiency based on high yield and uptake efficiency

Manganese deficiency limits wheat production particularly on highly permeable sandy soils cropped with rice. Variation in the ability of genotypes to maintain high yield and Mn uptake on soils with limited Mn availability was investigated to identify Mn efficient genotypes. Twenty four diverse wheat genotypes were evaluated in the field at two Mn levels viz. low (no fertilizer Mn) and high (20 kg Mn ha−1 applied as Mn sulphate supplemented with two foliar sprays of 0.5% MnSO4, one at pre flowering and other 7 days post flowering). The grain yield was significantly related with both grain Mn concentration (r = 0.61) and uptake (r = 0.88). Relative grain yield i.e. Mn efficiency index varied from 75 to 94% and relative grain Mn uptake varied from 42 to 74% among genotypes. Manganese efficiency index and Mn efficiency, respectively explained 86 and 66% of the variation in yield under low Mn. Based on grain yield and Mn efficiency, the genotypes were classified as efficient and responsive (PBW 636, PBW 621, HD 2967, DBW 17, PBW 550, TL 2942, BW 9179, BW 9184, BW 9149, BW 8989, SAMNYT 410 and SAMNYT 413), efficient and non responsive (BW 9183, TL 2908, PBW 590 and BW 9022), inefficient and responsive (PBW 509, PBW 343, GLUPRO 2233 and GLUPRO 2001) and inefficient and non responsive (PDW 233, PDW 291, PDW 314 and BW 9178). The efficient and responsive genotypes are most desirable as they would yield higher under low Mn and respond better to Mn additions.