Drought tolerance of developed wheat genotypes based on early diagnostics

Z. M. Novak; L. O. Riabovol; A. V. Novak; A. I. Liubchenko; I. O. Liubchenko; I. P. Diordiieva; I. V. Synook; V. P. Kulyk; S. V. Fedorenko; S. I. Slidenko

doi:10.15421/0225179

Z. M. Novak Uman National University
L. O. Riabovol Uman National University
A. V. Novak Uman National University
A. I. Liubchenko Uman National University
I. O. Liubchenko Uman National University
I. P. Diordiieva Uman National University
I. V. Synook Uman National University
V. P. Kulyk Uman National University
S. V. Fedorenko Uman National University
S. I. Slidenko Uman National University

Keywords: temperature regime, precipitation amount, spring durum wheat, spring bread wheat, accession, concentration of the stress factor mannitol.

Abstract

Climate change is being observed worldwide, affecting all continents. Currently, it has the most devastating effects in the r e gions of the Southern Hemisphere, particularly in African countries, although its impact is felt across the entire planet. Global climate change necessitates the development of highly productive crop varieties and hybrids whose physiological mechanisms promote efficient metabolism and redistribution of assimilates from vegetative tissues to generative organs and seeds. A key challenge in this context remains the creation of source material resistant to abiotic stress factors, particularly drought. Mannitol can serve as a model agent for screening drought-tolerant genotypes. Its concentrations exert selective pressure on biological objects, enabling the identification of materials that exhibit neutral or reduced responses to a given stressor. As a result of intra s pecific hybridization between geographically distant forms, spring durum and bread wheat accessions were developed and used as the subject of research aimed at selecting drought-tolerant, high-yielding genotypes. The experiments were conducted under moderately continental climatic conditions during 2021–2024 at Uman National University of Horticulture (Central Ukraine). Throughout the study years, insufficient precipitation and elevated air temperatures were recorded, resulting in specific phenoty p ic responses of the breeding material. The use of mannitol solutions during germination caused a decrease in seed germination rates, as well as reductions in root and shoot length and seedling biomass in wheat samples. At the same time, genotypes di s played differential responses to mannitol concentrations, allowing the identification of breeding materials that were less affected by the stress factor. These materials can be effectively used as sources of drought-tolerance genes in breeding programs aimed at developing high-yielding spring bread and durum wheat varieties. Early diagnostics of drought tolerance using mannitol-based germination tests represents a promising tool for accelerating the selection of high-yielding and drought-tolerant crop genotypes.

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