10.5937/ratpov51-5887 = Assessing tomato drought tolerance based on selection indices

Abstract

This study was aimed to assess drought tolerance in twelve tomato populations collected in the territory of Serbia and to investigate relationships and repeatability among sixteen drought tolerance indices. Drought tolerance was estimated at the stage of intensive vegetative growth, on the basis of dry weight yield determined at optimal and limited irrigation (volumetric soil water content of 35.0 and 20.9%, respectively). The trial was set in pots placed in the greenhouse. Significant differences were found among populations in terms of all considered parameters; populations G125, G105 and G104 performed well in both irrigation regimes. High repeatability was found between the selection indices TOL and SSPI, STI and GMP, DWdr and YI, and among SI, SSI, RDI, SDI and RD. Principal component analysis allows simultaneous evaluation of populations and interpretation of interrelationships among the indices; it may be recommended as a method of choice for data analysis in further studies on drought tolerance in tomato.