Response of eight Canadian spring wheat (<i>Triticum aestivum</i> L.) cultivars to copper: Pollen viability, grain yield plant⁻¹ and yield components

Eight Canadian spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivars, Katepwa, Roblin, Park, Laura, Conway, Oslo, Columbus and Biggar, were tested in the field for copper (Cu) use efficiency. The experiment was conducted at Stony Plain, Alberta on an Orthic, Dark Grey, Chernozemic, Cu deficient (0.48 μg g −1 ) soil. A split-plot experimental design was used with (+Cu) and without (−Cu) copper treatment of 12.2 kg copper sulphate ha −1 . Significant (P ≤ 0.05) effects due to cultivar, Cu, season, and cultivar × Cu interaction were observed, indicating differential response of the test cultivars to Cu for yield and yield components. Cu application significantly (P ≤ 0.05) improved the number of grains spike −1 , and floret fertility of Roblin, Laura, Park and Oslo, and increased the grain yield of Conway by 10%. Significant (P ≤ 0.05) effects due to cultivar, year and year × cultivar interaction for Cu efficiency indicated that Cu use efficiency varied with both year and cultivar. Biggar showed the highest Cu use efficiency (108%) while Oslo showed the lowest (57%). Key words:Triticum aestivum L., cultivars, copper, pollen viability, copper use efficiency