Evaluation of relative water content in winter wheat.

Abstract

Drought stress is a major limiting factor to crop production worldwide. An improved understanding of drought related characters and genetics thereof may lead to the use of these characters as selection criteria in breeding for drought resistance. Leaf relative water content (RWC) has been proposed as more important indicator of water status than other water potential parameters under drought stress conditions. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the RWC for characterization of drought tolerance as an early stage screening criterion. The studied biological material consisted of seven wheat varieties with different genetic and ecologic origin, along with their 21 one-way crosses. Combined analysis of variance indicated considerable variation for studied genotypes, parents and crosses. Hybrid combinations: Turda 2000 x Apullum, GKKapos x Apache si Xenon x Turda 2000, showed the highest values of trans heterosis for this character. In comparison with the experience mean is observed that approximately 24% of the hybrids (Turda 2000 x Apullum; Alex x Apache; Turda 2000 x Alex; Xenon x Turda 2000; GKKapos x Apache) have recorded a minimum 10% increase of relative water content of leaves. Xenon variety transmit with great fidelity at descendants' high value of this character.