ChileanJAR

The most important wheat characteristics, needed in the north-central zone of Chile, are analyzed, and its relative importance s indicated as follows: 1. High yield capacity; 2. Good adaptation to the zone; 3. Tolerance to barley yellow dwarf virus (BYDV); 4. Resistance to lodging; 5. Resistance to root-rots; 6. Resistance to several Puccinia sp; 7. Good hectoliter weight; 8. Good nutricional quality; 9. Good mill ing quality; 10. G ood qual ity for bread or spagetti; 11. Good use of fertilizers; and 12. Easy to harvest. Due to the continuous changes in the dominant physiological pathogenic races, the average usefull life for a commercial variety is shorter than 5 years. In order to supply farmers with good varieties it is necessary to maintain a arge breeding program (wide genetic diversity), using the main plant breeding methods: a) Introduction ;b) Individual plant selection, and c) Crosses. In the last seven years, 3,200 varieties or mes have been introduced annually from abroad,about 1,000 new crosses have been made every year, and about 2,000 varieties or mes have been studied in yield trials.