Growth habits of water-stressed wheat seedlings as selection criteria for drought resistance

Abstract

A technique is described to induce slowly increasing water deficits in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) seedlings by rooting them in damp vermiculite and growing them in a humid atmosphere. After eight weeks, drought-resistant genotypes can be identified either by drought avoidance or by drought tolerance responses. Genotypes with lesser drought resistance become dormant or produce sterile spikes. The test roughly predicts the relative yield performance of cultivars in dry field conditions. © 1987 Annals of Botany Company.