Agromorphological comparison of a durum wheat evolutionary population, a landrace, and a mixture of landraces in the northern of Morocco

Durum wheat (Triticum turgidum ssp. durum Desf.) production faces challenges under increasing climate change, biodiversity loss, and the growing need for sustainable and resilient cropping systems. Choice of varieties adapted to local conditions may be of crucial importance to secure future productivity in particular in North African smallholder systems. This work aimed to evaluate the growth and the agronomic traits of four entries of durum wheat, including a common Moroccan landrace (CLH), a mixture of three landraces (MLZSH), an evolutionary population (EP), and a modern variety (MVK). The experiment was carried out over two consecutive growing seasons (2021/2022 and 2022/2023) in three different sites in northern Morocco (Jahjouka, Boujedyane, and Sahel). Analysis of variance revealed significant effects of genotype, location, and year on most traits, along with significant genotype × environment interactions, indicating differential responses among genotypes across environments. However, PCA distinguished three entry groups. Landraces and their mixture exhibited superior growth traits, including greater plant height, tillering capacity, and straw biomass. In contrast, EP and MVK, exhibited higher agronomic traits. Interestingly, the EP matched the agronomic performance of the modern variety, all while preserving moderate growth traits. These results highlight the potential of integrating genetically diverse materials, such as landraces and evolutionary populations, into agroecological strategies. This approach can enhance resilience, conserve genetic resources in situ, and support farmer seed autonomy. This study makes a significant contribution to the broader effort to promote sustainable wheat systems under environmental and socioeconomic constraints.