Sixty durum wheat genotypes selected from previous evaluation of National Plant Gene Bank of Iran and Cereal Department Collection comprises of local durum wheat and some cultivars from other countries, were studied. The genotypes were evaluated along with nine durum checks for agronomic traits in an augmented design experiment during 2009-2010 cropping season at Seed and Plant Improvement Institute, Karaj, Iran. Each genotype was planted in six rows of 3m long. The checks were repeated four times among the rows, randomly. The recorded traits were adjusted based on the model of the design. Descriptive analysis of data showed presence of a vast genetic variability among the genotypes for the recorded traits. Correlation analysis among the traits revealed positive correlation between grain yield and grain number per spike (r=0.32**), and grain weight per spike(r=0.38**), whereas its correlation with plant height (r=-0.53**) and length of peduncle(r=-0.42**) was negative. By stepwise regression analysis plant height and date to heading remained in the final model. Factor analysis using principal components, identified 3 factors which covered 67% of total variation in the samples. Plant height, and yield components were present in the factors. Cluster analysis using Ward method grouped the genotypes in six clusters. Fifteen genotypes out yielded the mean of all checks, however only four were superior to the highest yielding checks, i.e. genotypes Nos. 3 (Wc-46198, with 9789 kgha-1), 11(Wc-46031, a Japanese variety with 9927 kgha-1), 10 (Wc-46043, a Japanese variety with 10066 kgha-1), and 55 (P.S.No22, with 10273 kgha-1) which were considered as the best and selected for further evaluations.

Durum wheat is the second most important crop of wheat and the tenth most important crop in the world, which includes about 6% of the area under wheat cultivation and its annual production is between 37-40 million tons. Countries with Mediterranean climates are the largest producers of durum wheat and the largest consumers of durum wheat products. Historically, durum wheat is well adapted to a dry area with variable precipitation rates and terminal heat stress, such as the Mediterranean basin. In fact, the countries of the Mediterranean basin (Algeria, Turkey, Italy, Morocco, Syria, Tunisia, France, Spain, and Greece) account for almost 50% of the world's cultivated area and production of durum wheat. Outside this basin, Canada, Mexico, the United States, Russia, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, and India are the largest producers of durum wheat, respectively. Durum wheat is genetically, morphologically, and physiologically different from bread wheat, and in terms of chemical compounds, its amount of protein, minerals, vitamins, and carotenoid pigments is higher than bread wheat. Durum wheat with hard vitreous and yellow grains, in addition to providing an important source of energy, possessing a wide range of minerals and vitamins, protein and gluten, beta-carotene pigment (antioxidants and anti-cancer compounds) as well as simple carbohydrates, minerals, and other nutrients compounds that are essential in the human diet. Durum wheat is one of the most important foods with a high percentage of protein (12-14% and sometimes up to 22%) compared to rice (7%) and bread wheat (10 to 12%). In durum wheat, the amount of calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, and copper is much higher than the amount of these elements in bread wheat and brown and white rice. The high content of these elements in durum wheat grain indicates the importance of the nutritional value of this product compared to the mentioned products that provide a major part of the consumer's food basket. In addition to semolina, which is used in the preparation of paste products such as macaroni and spaghetti, lasagna, noodle, etc., durum wheat is used in the making of other products such as bulgur, couscous, freekeh, durum wheat bread, etc. In this review article, the aim is to study the geographical distribution and production of durum wheat in different regions of the world, to introduce the nutritional value of the products and their products and their preparation, as well as to study the economic value of this valuable product. Moreover, new-released durum wheat cultivars with appropriate agronomic characteristics will be introduced.

Fusarium Head blight (FHB), caused by Fusarium graminearum known as a destructive disease of wheat has a significant impact not only on global wheat production, but also on food safety because of grain contamination with mycotoxins during infection, a serious threat to the human and animals’ health. To achieve to non-chemical control of FHB, the study of molecular mechanism of resistance to FHB in wheat varieties is important. In this research, in order to investigate the effect of FHB on spike proteome pattern, six bread and durum wheat cultivars were inoculated in a greenhouse with F. graminearum. In addition to measuring the morphological traits, 14 days after inoculation, changes in their proteome pattern were investigated. Two-dimensional electrophoresis technique was used to study the response of wheat spike to Fusarium. Protein extraction was performed by TCAacetone method and two-dimensional electrophoresis was performed in the first dimension by strip gel method and in the second dimension was performed by using sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel. The results of gel analyses showed that out of 57 repeatedly found protein spots, 13 protein spots had a significant difference between treatments, among which 11 protein spots, showed increased expression and two protein spots showed reduced expression. Proteins with changes in expression based on biological function were categorized in different groups that proteins involved in the metabolic pathways which involved in infected plants (Hypothetical protein and PR proteins) had the highest contribution to proteins with significant changes. The results of this study can be used in wheat breeding programs.

The current study attempted to determine adoption indices, such as estimation of Benefit-Cost Ratio (BCR), Internal rate of return (IRR), and economic surplus (ES) due to planting of irrigated durum wheat Shabrang variety during to concern period. This research was carried out in 2018-2019. Data were collected from institutes, Jihad-e-Agriculture organizations, Agricultural Research and Education, and Natural Resource Centers of targets provinces through filling out the questionnaire. The methodologies of the research were adoption analysis and economic surplus criteria. According to the results, the mean adoption degree of Shabrang variety to total irrigated durum wheat varieties and total irrigated wheat varieties was estimated at 71. 7 and 1. 5 percent. The highest adoption degree of Shabrang variety belonged to Kerman province. Reducing cost per kg of Shabrang varieties to check variety was calculated 6. 7 percent. Net present value (NPV) of breeding program and planted of Shabrang variety was calculated 16. 7 milliard rials. The benefit-cost ratio of the concern was estimated at 7. 2 the internal rate of return (IRR) of Shabrang variety was estimated at 43. 5 percent. Thus, it can be said that the breeding program and planting of irrigated durum wheat Shabrang variety in the country are evaluated economically.

To assess the impact of amount and time of urea fertilizer on the function of Dorum wheat, aria cultivar, an experiment was carried out in the fanning year of 1390-1 in the vicinity of Chaypareh, in factorial complete random blocks in three replications. The amount of urea fertilizer was taken as the first factor in three levels (188, 250, and 313kg per hectare) and the time of its application as the second factor in four levels b1 (1/3 planting stage+1/3 as shrub growth+ 1/3 as flowering stage), b2 (1/4 cultivation stage+1/2 shrub growth+1/4 flowering stage), b3 (1/4 planting stage+1/4 tillering + shrub growth+1/4 flowering stage). The results showed that the impact of the rate of fertilizer on the height of the shrub, number of spikes per square meter, number of seed in spike, weight of 1000 seeds, length of spike, number of spikelets in the spike, seed yielding and harvest index were meaningful. The highest seed yielding with 710.26g per square meter was obtained by the use of 313kg urea. The impact of the time of the usage of urea was meaningful to all traits except the weight of 1000 grains. The highest yield of seed with 693.88g per square meter with the division of nitrogen in four stages of growth (1/4 planting+1/4 tillering+1/4 shrub growth+1/4 flowering) were observed.

In order to evaluation of adaptability and grain yield stability of durum wheat genotypes, an experiment was conducted under rainfed and supplemental irrigation conditions based on a randomized complete block design with three replications at Sararood dryland agricultural research station (Kermanshah, Iran) for three cropping seasons (-,-and-). Analysis of variance (ANOVA) indicated significant differences (P< ) between the main effects due to genotype, environment, and genotype x environment (GE) interaction. The magnitude of GE interaction was greater about twice times than the genotype effect that indicates the probability of different environmental groups for the genotypes adaptation. Biplot analysis of grain yield data based on AMMI model showed that the genotypes had different responses to the environments, so the adapted genotypes were determined for each environmental group. According to Ebrahat and Russell's criteria, genotype G and G with higher yield than grand mean, and minimum variance deviation and regression coefficient close to unit, were found as desirable genotypes. Based on AMMI stability value (ASV), genotypes G, G and G were identified as most stable genotypes.

To study the effect of plant growth promoting bacteria (PGPR) and mineral nitrogen fertilizer on yield and yield components of three durum wheat cultivars, an experiment was conducted as a split factorial based on randomized complete block design with three replications in Dehloran Research Station in Ilam, Iran in 2011-2012 cropping season. Experimental factors consisted of durum wheat (Yavaroosm, Kharkheh and Simareh) was assigned to main plot and nitrogen fertilizers at 3 levels (40, 80 and 120 kg.ha-1) and bio-fertilizer (non-inoculation, inoculating with Azotobacter chroococcum, Azospirillum brasilense) to sub plot. Results of analysis of variance showed that among cultivars studied there were significantly differences at traits under study. Yavaroos had the highest plant height, 1000- grain weight, and biological yield. The highest plant height, 1000- grain weight, biological yield and protein content was obtained by application of 120 kg/ha nitrogen fertilizer, but there were not different effect between 80 and 120 kg/ha nitrogen fertilizer. Traits under study were affected by using bio-fertilizer. The highest plant height, number grain per spike, 1000- grain weight, grain yield were obtained from inoculation plants with bio-fertilizer. The effect of cultivar by nitrogen chemical fertilizer interaction had significant effect on plant height, number of grain per spike, 1000-grain weight, and spike per meter squared and grain yield. The highest grain yield was obtained from Yavaroos using 120 kg/ha and the lowest grain was observed from Simareh cultivar and 40 kg/ha. Interaction effect of cultivar and bio- fertilizer had significant effect on harvest index only. Nitrogen fertilizer by bio- fertilizer interaction had significant effect on only grain yield, spike/m-2 and grain yield. The highest grain yield was obtained from Yavaroos cultivar when it were inoculation with Azospirillum 120 kg/ha and the lowest grain yield observed Simareh cultivar when it was treated with 40 kg/ha.

Low-temperature (LT) stress is one of the limiting factors causing loss of yield in cereals in cold regions of Iran. Two separate randomized complete block designs were set up for 40 wheat genotypes including 32 bread wheat and 8 durum wheat genotypes and 54 barley genotypes both in three replicates under field conditions. Lowtemperature tolerance as measured by LT50 (the temperature at which 50% of plants are killed at that temperature) was determined for 5-6 weeks cold acclimated crowns of plants grown in the field at Maragheh Agricultural Research Station, Iran in the fall of 2002. Results showed that among all the tested wheat genotypes, the most LT tolerant cultivar was Norstar winter wheat with LT50 of about -25°C from Canada. Generally, Canadian cultivars (Triticum aestivum L.) had the greatest LT tolerance with average LT50 of about -23°C followed by Iranian winter bread wheat cultivars which had cc intermediate levels of LT tolerance with average LT50 between -14°C and -17°C. Durum wheat (T turgidum) selections had the lowest levels of LT tolerance between -WoC and -14°C. In barley experiment, the maximum level of LT tolerance (LT50= -15°C) was obtained from Kold and Dobtinya winter barley cultivars originated from USA and Russia, respectively. Winter barley lines from Nebraska and Dicktoo a very short day sensitive barley also had a high level of LT tolerance among tested genotypes. Barley genotypes selected from ICARDA showed the poorest LT tolerance with less than -12°C of LT50, while Iranian new improved lines derived from crosses between Iranian and foreign genotypes selected from Seed and Plant Improvement Institute (SPII) nurseries, acclimated to a colder temperature with average LT50 of about -12°C. These results demonstrated that the LT tolerance potential of a genotype depends on the adaptability of the genotype to the environment for which it was selected or in which it was evolved. This study also showed that although LT50 method is usually used in controlled conditions, however, from the results of this study it is observed that plant samples collected from the field conditions at the appropriatetime of LT acclimation can be also used for screening of LT tolerant sources which can be used in the breeding program for improvement of LT tolerance in cereals.

Introduction and Objective: The main usage of durum wheat is the production of semolina (pasta flour) for pasta products due to its high protein and strong glutamine. The development of the pasta industry, along with the increase in its demand and the favorable weather conditions in many parts of Iran, requires more research, especially in the field of durum wheat breeding with knowledge of the genetic diversity of the studied genotypes. Material and methods:The plant material used in this experiment included 18 winter durum wheat genotypes that were evaluated in dryland conditions in a randomized complete block design with four replications at Moghan Dryland Agricultural Research Station located in Pars-Abad of Ardabil province. The 32 phenomorphological and agronomic traits were measured in laboratory and field. Results: The difference between the studied genotypes was significant for most of the traits. Mean comparison of traits for durum wheat genotypes in important traits such as total grain yield, total biomass, yield of fertile tillers, weight of main spike, number of leaves, length of spike and length of peduncle, introduced two genotypes as prior genotypes. Total grain yield had a significant positive correlation with some traits such as main spike weight, number of spikelets, number of grains per spike, number of grains in fertile tillers, yield of fertile tillers and awn weight. Cluster analysis classified 18 durum wheat genotypes to three groups. The first cluster included seven genotypes, the second cluster contained three genotypes, and finally the third cluster included eight genotypes. The third cluster in terms of plant height, spike length, peduncle length, number of leaves, stem diameter, number of fertile tillers, weight of single plant, weight of main spike, number of spikelets, number of grains per spike, number of grains per fertile tiller, fertile tiller yield, awn length, awn weight, straw yield, flag leaf length, flag leaf width, total grain yield, total biomass and total straw yield were higher than average. Therefore, the genotypes of this group can be used to improve grain yield. In principal component analysis, the first three components explained for 68.28% of the total variation. For the first component, single plant weight, spike weight, fertile tiller yield, straw yield, total grain yield and total biomass had high positive coefficients. According to the analysis of the main components, the first component, grain yield component, the second component, maturity-related traits and the third component, leaf-related traits were named. These components can be used in the selection of durum wheat genotypes in breeding programs. Conclusion: Among durum wheat genotypes in terms of studied traits, considerable diversity was found, and this diversity can be used in breeding programs for resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses and other breeding purposes.