Study of Durum Wheat Genotypes' Response to Drought Stress Conditions
Majid Khayatnezhad, Roza Gholamin
Abstract
Several current procedures help farmers overcome or at least manage drought-related challenges, including breeding, selection, and screening; however since the two former procedures may be lengthy and uneconomical, Screening drought-tolerant genotypes for identifying the optimal cultivar for arid lands is the best approach that ensures minimum yield loss. This research experiment attempts to evaluate the adaptability drought-tolerance potential of latesown wheat cultivars in Ardabil, Iran. The study included the following four genotypes in the experiment, designating a water requirement range of 50-70 percent: Leucurum (Tabriz), Melanopus (Cheiltoxm), Leucurum (Germi), and Hordeiforme (Maraghe). Additionally, the control water requirement level was set to 100%. The experiment used MSTAT-C, a tool developed by The University of Michigan for research in the agriculture field, to validate the data concerning stages of growth, grain yield (GY), and the factors contributing to the yield. The decreasing impact of drought-stress was significant on all factors (contributors) related to growth and yield but the harvest index (HI). Additionally, the severity of water stress had the highest impact when under 50% of the total water requirement condition (TWR=50%). This applied drought stress to the experiment plants also impacted the crop growth stages, which include the days to complete tillering and the days to complete 50% heading, although the impacts on the latter were more significant. Different growth and yield traits caused the cultivars in the experiment to respond variably. For instance, Leucurum (Tabriz) had the minimum days to complete tillering and heading, while Hordeiforme (Maraghe) represented the highest height and dry biomass accumulation. Melanopus (Cheiltoxm) reported maximum values for grain yield and yield contributors except for spike length that was maximum in Leucurum (Tabriz). Field findings suggest Melanopus (Cheiltoxm) has remarkable growth and yield traits, which allow for its cultivation in drylands with limited access to water supplies for irrigation.