Agromorphological and grain quality characterisations of northern Spanish wheats under low-nitrogen conditions

Fifteen wheat landraces were evaluated in a low-nitrogen system (50 kg.ha(- 1) year(-1) of N) at Mabegondo Agronomic Centre during two years in a rando mised complete block design with two replicates of 50 plants. Plots consist ed of single rows 2 m long. Two commercial wheat cultivars (Marius and Sois sons) were also planted. The entries (landraces and cultivars) were charact erised for seven qualitative and 15 quantitative traits. This data set was reduced to four principle components that cumulatively explained 80% of the total variance. Cluster analysis was useful in identifying three groups of landraces with differentiated characters. In general, wheat landraces perf ormed as well as commercial cultivars for grain yield and grain quality cha racteristics, except for Zeleny values which were low in most of the landra ces, Conservation of these resources, if possible in situ, should be a prio rity objective.