Effect of Multi-Year Environmental and Meteorological Factors on the Quality Traits of Winter Durum Wheat

A detailed study was made of the effect of rainfall, average temperature and hot days on the gluten index and Minolta b* value of winter durum wheat sown in the field in 16 consecutive crop years (2005–2020). The joint analysis of these two technological quality traits represented a complex (plant–environment–meteorological factors) approach for the identification of durum wheat cultivars carrying an optimum combination of the two traits and for the determination of quality stability. The results of GGE-biplot analysis indicated that the cultivar that had the most favorable combination of the traits was ‘MVP’, while cultivar ‘GKS’ had the best gluten strength and ‘MVH’ the best yellow pigment content. Correlation analysis and stepwise regression between various meteorological factors (rainfall, mean temperature, number of heat days per 10-day period during grain-filling) and the two technological quality traits indicated that the expected value of the quality traits could be reliably estimated based on meteorological factors, with a generally negative effect on gluten index and a positive one on yellowness in all cultivars.