Abstract
Wheat is one of the most important cereal crops and extensively cultivated in wide ranges of altitudes in Ethiopia. With an alarming population growth in the era of climatic change, there is a need for further crop improvement for sustainable production. In this regard, the study was carried out at the Kulumsa Agricultural Research Center (KARC) in a rainout shelter to investigate the responses of durum and bread wheat varieties to soil water stress in terms of selected morphological, physiological, and biochemical parameters. The 2 factors were combined factorially and arranged in a randomized complete block design with 3 replications. The 12 wheat varieties, 6 bread wheat and other 6 durum wheat, were sown in pots under well-watered (100% field capacity) and water-stressed (30% field capacity) conditions. Results revealed that water stress resulted in 26%, 9%, 23%, 16%, and 11% reductions in plant height, spike length, number of spikelets spike−1, relative water, and chlorophyll contents, respectively. The tested wheat varieties under water stress produced 28% and 6% more proline content and total soluble sugar, respectively, as mitigation strategies against drought. Results further exhibited that wheat varieties significantly differed in all of the measured traits except for the plant height and relative water content. The present study verified that the biochemical parameters needs to be considered as better traits to select wheat (Triticum spp.) varieties for drought tolerance under water stress conditions.
Highlights
Wheat is one of the most important cereal crops widely grown in an extensive range of altitudes by smallholder farmers under rain-fed conditions in Ethiopia [1]
According to Manuchehri et al [29], the amount of soluble sugars, proline concentration, and activity of free radical scavenging enzymes increased significantly under stress conditions to combat the accumulation of the reactive oxygen species. e varieties with enhanced capacity to syntheses such biochemicals in response to the water stress have relatively superior potential to offer higher yield and contributed to ensuring food security in the dry lands [14]. erefore, the objective of this research was to study the effect of soil water stress on selected morphological, physiological, and biochemical parameters of durum wheat (Triticum durum Desf.) and bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) varieties and to determine the traits, which can be used for identification of tolerant wheat varieties under water stress conditions
All those varieties were released to mid to lowlands. e major criteria considered for the selection of those varieties were their potential resistance to water stress. e bread and durum wheat varieties were collected from Kulumsa Agricultural Research Center (KARC) and Debrezeit Agricultural Research Center (DARC), respectively
Summary
Morphological, Physiological, and Biochemical Characterization of Drought-Tolerant Wheat (Triticum spp.) Varieties. With an alarming population growth in the era of climatic change, there is a need for further crop improvement for sustainable production. In this regard, the study was carried out at the Kulumsa Agricultural Research Center (KARC) in a rainout shelter to investigate the responses of durum and bread wheat varieties to soil water stress in terms of selected morphological, physiological, and biochemical parameters. E present study verified that the biochemical parameters needs to be considered as better traits to select wheat (Triticum spp.) varieties for drought tolerance under water stress conditions Results further exhibited that wheat varieties significantly differed in all of the measured traits except for the plant height and relative water content. e present study verified that the biochemical parameters needs to be considered as better traits to select wheat (Triticum spp.) varieties for drought tolerance under water stress conditions
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