AI Summary & Key Takeaways
AI InsightOverall, the results demonstrate that durum wheat exhibits high production potential in Mediterranean environments, with rainfed conditions enhancing quality attributes, thereby providing valuable insights for future breeding and agronomic strategies aimed at balancing yield stability with nutritional and technological quality.
📌 3 Key Takeaways
Abstract
Soil moisture has become increasingly crucial for sustaining winter crop yield potential under induced water scarcity resulted climate change. Durum wheat has strategic importance in Mediterranean agriculture, serving as both a staple food crop and a key economic commodity. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of supplemental irrigation in anthesis on yield performance, grain quality, technological traits, and health-related characteristics of durum wheat. A field experiment was conducted under irrigated and rainfed conditions with different growth habit durum wheat varieties during two growing seasons (2019/2020 and 2020/2021). Yield and its components, rheological and technological parameters, grain quality traits, total phenolic content, and antioxidant activity were assessed. Supplemental irrigation significantly enhanced grain yield, particularly under dry seasonal conditions, but slightly reduced technological quality, rheological properties, and antioxidant capacity. In contrast, rainfed conditions ensured the expression of desirable grain quality traits relevant to health, nutrition, and pasta end-use quality. Significant correlations were observed, with grain yield negatively associated with protein content (r = –0.41**) and antioxidant activity (r = –0.49***), while protein content exhibited strong positive correlations with gluten index (r = 0.34**), fiber content (r = 0.70**), and antioxidant activity (r = 0.30*). These findings highlight the trade-off between yield and quality under contrasting water regimes. Overall, the results demonstrate that durum wheat exhibits high production potential in Mediterranean environments, with rainfed conditions enhancing quality attributes, thereby providing valuable insights for future breeding and agronomic strategies aimed at balancing yield stability with nutritional and technological quality.