LODGING: A DETERMINING FACTOR IN REDUCING YIELD AND YIELD STRUCTURE OF WHEAT

Six wheat varieties viz. Dera-98, Daman-98, Nasir-2K, Raj, Zam-04 and Hashim-8 were evaluated for their yield and yield contributing parameters under normal crop stand and lodged conditions at Agricultural Research Institute, Dera Ismail Khan, Pakistan. These varieties showed significant differences for grains spike^-1, grain weight spike^-1, 1000-grain weight and grain yield (kg ha^-1) under both normal crop stand and lodged conditions. Daman-98 produced more number of normal grains spike^-1, the highest normal grain weight spike^-1 and the final grain yield. The most damaging effect of lodging was observed in wheat variety Dera-98. This research has opened up avenues for further studies in quantifying influence of different environmental factors on wheat yield as affected by lodging, a commonly occurring threat to this crop in the region.