Wheat seedlings growth response to water deficiency and how it correlates with adult plant tolerance to drought

• DOI: 10.1017/s002185961400029x
• Publication Date: 2014-04-25T08:24:08Z
• Authors: D. DODIG; M. ZORIĆ; M. JOVIĆ; V. KANDIĆ; R. STANISAVLJEVIĆ; G. ŠURLAN-MOMIROVIĆ
• Keywords: Drought Tolerance; Coleoptile; Anthesis

SUMMARY Improving resistance to water and osmotic stresses at the seedling stage is becoming a much more important target for wheat breeders due an increase in frequency severity of drought occurrences crop establishment tillering phases many growing areas world. Ninety-six diverse genotypes were laboratory tested germination growth response under stress induced by polyethylene glycol (PEG). Germination percentage, mean time, coleoptile length, shoot length rate compared (−0·4 MPa) control (0·0 conditions. The same previously grown field trials exposed during anthesis and/or grain filling along with (optimum) Grain yield (GY) 19 other traits agronomic importance (earliness, stem-related traits, number kernels, mass 1000 grains, etc.) recorded. All PEG-induced showed highest relationship stem adult plants. To study correlation between tolerance reproductive stages, three indices (tolerance index (TOL), susceptibility (SSI) (STI)) GY pre- post-anthesis calculated, based on trait value obtained corresponding ranking TOL STI from was found most cases be significantly correlated GY, respectively.