Abstract: To analyze the quality characteristics of triticale grain and forage in mildly saline-alkali soils of the Qaidam Basin and to select superior germplasm, this study utilized a collection of 1645 triticale germplasm resources as experimental materials, and conducted a comprehensive analysis on 20 traits related to grain and forage quality. The analysis revealed significant differences in the genetic diversity of grain and forage quality traits, with coefficients of variation ranging from 1.89% to 76.66% of grain quality and from 0.67% to 60.81% for forage quality, respectively. Correlation analysis demonstrated that crude protein content and stability time showed highly significant differences in grain quality, while crude ash content and potassium content exhibited highly significant correlations in forage quality. Principal component analysis showed that gluten content, flour extraction rate, and test weight were the predominant features of grain quality, while starch content, phosphorus concentration, and crude ash content were the key characteristics of forage quality. Cluster analysis classified the 1645 triticale accessions into four groups: groupⅠcomprised germplasms exhibiting superior grain quality traits, and groupⅡcontained accessions with enhanced forage quality characteristics. Through comprehensive evaluation, 20 accessions with superior grain quality and 20 accessions with superior forage quality were selected. These findings provide germplasm resources for breeding triticale with premium grain and forage quality, and offer potential solutions to address forage shortages and elite germplasm scarcity in the Qaidam Basin.

Key words: triticale, grain quality, forage quality, mildly saline-alkali soils