Volume 18, Issue 1 (3-2026)
J Crop Breed 2026, 18(1): 163-176 |
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Neysi B, Ranjbar G, Najafi Zarini H. (2026). The Evaluation of Yield and Some Morphological Traits in the Double Haploid Line of Bread Wheat Genotypes (Triticum aestivum L.) under Drought Stress Conditions. J Crop Breed. 18(1), 163-176. doi:10.61882/jcb.2026.1647
URL: http://jcb.sanru.ac.ir/article-1-1647-en.html
URL: http://jcb.sanru.ac.ir/article-1-1647-en.html
1- Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, Sari Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources University, Sari, Iran
Abstract: (132 Views)
Extended Abstract
Background: As one of the world's most important cereals, wheat plays a key role in ensuring food security and agricultural sustainability. Its importance is not only in human nutrition but also in the global economy and breeding programs. Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), a self-pollinating plant belonging to the family of Cereals, is a major source of carbohydrates and proteins. Moreover, wheat grain contains significant amounts of fiber, minerals, essentials, and B-group vitamins, making it one of the most important and strategic cereals worldwide. Recently, the main objective of breeding programs in Iran has been the introduction of high-yielding cultivars adapted to both irrigated and dryland conditions. However, drought stress is recognized as one of the most critical limiting factors in crop production, particularly in dryland areas. This phenomenon negatively affects wheat morpho-physiological traits, such as plant height, relative leaf water content, photosynthetic leaf area, chlorophyll content, and stomatal efficiency, leading to reductions in grain yield, grain weight, spike length, and grain number. Under such conditions, identifying resistant and adaptable genotypes is crucial for improving wheat tolerance to water deficit. Drought stress, as one of the most widespread and severe environmental constraints, poses a serious challenge to sustainable crop production, especially in dryland and semi-arid regions where it intensifies the problem depending on natural precipitation and climatic fluctuations. This study aimed to evaluate morphological traits and yield components in double haploid lines of bread wheat, identify drought-tolerant and sensitive genotypes for future use in breeding programs, and determine the most important yield components under stress conditions and their share in grain yield.
Methods: This study was conducted in the greenhouse of Sari Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources University during 2023–2024. Thirteen double haploid lines of bread wheat, alongwith their parents (Trident and Molinuex), and five control cultivars (Ehsan, Arman, Tirgan, Araz, and Taktaz) were compared in the Mazandaran area. The planting medium consisted of farm soil and manure mixed at a ratio of 1:3, and seeds were sown at a depth of 2 cm in pots with a capacity of 5 kg. The experiment was arranged as a factorial experiment based on a randomized complete block design with three replications. Drought stress levels included 70% field capacity (control), 50% field capacity (moderate stress), and 30% field capacity (severe stress). Stress treatments were applied at the end of stem elongation and the onset of spike formation. Three pots from each treatment were selected for calibration, and irrigation was precisely adjusted based on field capacity. Weed control and plant nutrition were manually managed throughout the growth period to minimize non-target effects. Morphological traits (plant height, flag leaf length and width, the number of internodes, internode length, and spike length) and yield-related traits (hundred-grain weight, grain number per spike, and grain yield per pot) were measured and recorded at different growth stages to assess the direct and indirect effects of drought stress on yield and its components. Data were analyzed using SPSS software, and graphs were prepared by Excel software. To evaluate genotype responses to drought stress, mean comparisons, trait correlations, cluster analysis, and drought tolerance indices (SI, YSI, TOL, GMP, MP, DSI, and RD) were calculated for the stressed treatment.
Results: The results revealed significant differences in the responses of double haploid lines to drought stress. DH-57, DH-162, DH-117, Ehsan, Arman, and Trident were the genotypes identified as superior drought-tolerant genotypes, whereas DH-20 and DH-250 exhibited severe reductions in yield and its components and were classified as sensitive genotypes. The consideration of drought tolerance indices (YSI, SI, TOL, GMP, MP, DSI, and RD) indicated that resistant double haploid lines not only produced suitable yield under stress conditions but also showed greater stability under normal conditions. Correlation analysis demonstrated that hundred-grain weight and leaf traits had the strongest positive association with yield under severe drought, while plant height and internode length played a prominent role under moderate stress. Cluster analysis showed that genotypes were grouped based on key traits under different conditions: vegetative and reproductive traits played a critical role under normal conditions, whereas leaf and yield-related traits were important under severe drought conditions.
Conclusion: This study demonstrated that drought stress at different levels of field capacity had significant effects on wheat morphological and yield traits. Under severe drought, leaf traits and hundred-grain weight played the most important role in yield performance, while vegetative and reproductive traits were more influent under moderate stress. Correlation analysis, cluster analysis, and drought tolerance indices distinguished tolerant genotypes, such as DH-57, DH-162, DH-117, Ehsan, Arman, and Trident, from sensitive ones, providing a comprehensive approach for screening and introducing stable cultivars adapted to future water-limited environments.
Background: As one of the world's most important cereals, wheat plays a key role in ensuring food security and agricultural sustainability. Its importance is not only in human nutrition but also in the global economy and breeding programs. Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), a self-pollinating plant belonging to the family of Cereals, is a major source of carbohydrates and proteins. Moreover, wheat grain contains significant amounts of fiber, minerals, essentials, and B-group vitamins, making it one of the most important and strategic cereals worldwide. Recently, the main objective of breeding programs in Iran has been the introduction of high-yielding cultivars adapted to both irrigated and dryland conditions. However, drought stress is recognized as one of the most critical limiting factors in crop production, particularly in dryland areas. This phenomenon negatively affects wheat morpho-physiological traits, such as plant height, relative leaf water content, photosynthetic leaf area, chlorophyll content, and stomatal efficiency, leading to reductions in grain yield, grain weight, spike length, and grain number. Under such conditions, identifying resistant and adaptable genotypes is crucial for improving wheat tolerance to water deficit. Drought stress, as one of the most widespread and severe environmental constraints, poses a serious challenge to sustainable crop production, especially in dryland and semi-arid regions where it intensifies the problem depending on natural precipitation and climatic fluctuations. This study aimed to evaluate morphological traits and yield components in double haploid lines of bread wheat, identify drought-tolerant and sensitive genotypes for future use in breeding programs, and determine the most important yield components under stress conditions and their share in grain yield.
Methods: This study was conducted in the greenhouse of Sari Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources University during 2023–2024. Thirteen double haploid lines of bread wheat, alongwith their parents (Trident and Molinuex), and five control cultivars (Ehsan, Arman, Tirgan, Araz, and Taktaz) were compared in the Mazandaran area. The planting medium consisted of farm soil and manure mixed at a ratio of 1:3, and seeds were sown at a depth of 2 cm in pots with a capacity of 5 kg. The experiment was arranged as a factorial experiment based on a randomized complete block design with three replications. Drought stress levels included 70% field capacity (control), 50% field capacity (moderate stress), and 30% field capacity (severe stress). Stress treatments were applied at the end of stem elongation and the onset of spike formation. Three pots from each treatment were selected for calibration, and irrigation was precisely adjusted based on field capacity. Weed control and plant nutrition were manually managed throughout the growth period to minimize non-target effects. Morphological traits (plant height, flag leaf length and width, the number of internodes, internode length, and spike length) and yield-related traits (hundred-grain weight, grain number per spike, and grain yield per pot) were measured and recorded at different growth stages to assess the direct and indirect effects of drought stress on yield and its components. Data were analyzed using SPSS software, and graphs were prepared by Excel software. To evaluate genotype responses to drought stress, mean comparisons, trait correlations, cluster analysis, and drought tolerance indices (SI, YSI, TOL, GMP, MP, DSI, and RD) were calculated for the stressed treatment.
Results: The results revealed significant differences in the responses of double haploid lines to drought stress. DH-57, DH-162, DH-117, Ehsan, Arman, and Trident were the genotypes identified as superior drought-tolerant genotypes, whereas DH-20 and DH-250 exhibited severe reductions in yield and its components and were classified as sensitive genotypes. The consideration of drought tolerance indices (YSI, SI, TOL, GMP, MP, DSI, and RD) indicated that resistant double haploid lines not only produced suitable yield under stress conditions but also showed greater stability under normal conditions. Correlation analysis demonstrated that hundred-grain weight and leaf traits had the strongest positive association with yield under severe drought, while plant height and internode length played a prominent role under moderate stress. Cluster analysis showed that genotypes were grouped based on key traits under different conditions: vegetative and reproductive traits played a critical role under normal conditions, whereas leaf and yield-related traits were important under severe drought conditions.
Conclusion: This study demonstrated that drought stress at different levels of field capacity had significant effects on wheat morphological and yield traits. Under severe drought, leaf traits and hundred-grain weight played the most important role in yield performance, while vegetative and reproductive traits were more influent under moderate stress. Correlation analysis, cluster analysis, and drought tolerance indices distinguished tolerant genotypes, such as DH-57, DH-162, DH-117, Ehsan, Arman, and Trident, from sensitive ones, providing a comprehensive approach for screening and introducing stable cultivars adapted to future water-limited environments.
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