Abstract:
Emmer wheat [Triticum diccocum (Schrank) Schuebl] is an example of a crop which has been largely grown in less
favourable farming areas (i. e. less fertile montane lands, arid areas, etc.). Our paper work aims at a description of an
availability of the wheat genetic resources within Europe and an evaluation of the particular agronomically significant
parameters and the elementary qualitative parameters of the emmer wheat genetic resources within the Czech Republic.
Data for the evaluation of a structure and availability of the wheat genetic resources were drawn from the European
Wheat Database and evaluated. Precise small-plot trials were established on the certified organic parcel of the
University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice and used between 2009 and 2011. Eight emmer wheat genetic
resources and two bread wheat control varieties were involved in the trials. Selected agronomic and elementary
qualitative parameters were studied. The accessions were resistant to the common wheat diseases and competitive to
weed plants. The mean yield rate achieved 2.03 t.ha-1
. A reduced resistance to lodging, just as a reduced spike
productivity, were two most significant disadvantages of the wheat growing. The protein proportion achieved almost 17
per cent. On the other hand, the emmer wheat proteins usually swell less than the protein of bread wheat (low values of
Zeleny test). The emmer wheat is not, therefore, suitable for the traditional baking and processing but for other types of
processing, i.e. a production of pasta, biscuits, etc. As for the yield formation, a legally protected variety Rudico was
considered as the most prospective of all the tested emmer wheat accessions.
