Little is known about genetic diversity and geographic origin of wheat landraces from Oman, an ancient area of wheat cultivation. The objectives of this study were to investigate the genetic relationships and levels of diversity of six wheat landraces collected in Oman with a set of 30 evenly distributed SSR markers. The total gene diversity, (H T ), conserved in the three durum wheat (Triticum durum desf.) landraces (H T = 0.46) was higher than in the three bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) landraces (H T = 0.37), which were similar to Turkish and Mexican bread wheat landraces calculated in previous studies. Genetic variation partitioning (G ST ) showed that variation was mainly distributed within rather than among the durum (G ST = 0.30) and bread wheat (G ST = 0.19) landraces. Based on modified Rogers' distance (MRD), the durum and bread wheat landraces were distinct from each other except for a few individuals according to principal coordinate analysis (PCoA). One bread wheat landrace (Greda) was separated into two distinct sub-populations. A joint cluster analysis with other landraces of worldwide origin revealed that Omani bread wheat landraces were different from other landraces. However, two landraces from Pakistan were grouped somewhat closer to Omani landraces indicating a possible, previously unknown relationship. Implications of these results for future wheat landrace collection, evaluation and conservation are discussed.

Although laboratory (Petri dish) germination as an estimate of seed viability is a standard practice, it may not give an accurate prediction of seedling emergence in the field, especially when saline irrigation water is used. Experiments were conducted to investigate seedling emergence in two chickpea cultivars (ILC 482 and Barka local) in response to varied salinity levels and sowing depths. Seeds were sown in potted soil at a depth of 2, 4 or 6 cm. The salinity treatments were 4.6, 8.4 and 12.2 dS m–1. Tap water (0.8 dS m–1) served as the control. Depth of sowing had a significant effect on seedling emergence. Seeds sown 6 cm deep showed the lowest seedling emergence. Similarly, salinity had an adverse effect on seedling emergence. The lowest seedling emergence percentages were obtained at the highest salinity treatment (12.2 dS m–1). The interaction between salinity treatment and seeding depth was significant. Hypocotyl injury was implicated as a possible cause of poor seedling emergence in chickpea under saline water irrigation and was less severe when pre‐germinated seeds were used. ILC 482 appeared to be more tolerant to salinity than Barka local, suggesting that breeding programmes involving regional exchange of germplasm may be helpful.

Emmer (Triticum dicoccon) was collected recently in northern Oman. The material was analyzed morphologically and phenologically. It belongs to the Asiatic emmers (subsp. asiaticum) and not to the Ethiopian ones (subsp. abyssinicum), distributed in Ethiopia and Yemen, as originally expected. The determination of the material resulted in var. haussknechtianum and var. aeruginosum.