Full Length Research Paper

Heat and drought resistances criteria in spring bread wheat: Drought resistance parameters

Bilge Bahar¹* and Mehmet Yildirim²

¹Department of Field Crops, Siran Vocational School, Gumushane University, Gumushane, 29700 Turkey.

²Department of Field Crops, Faculty of Agriculture, Dicle University, Diyarbakir, 21280 Turkey.

*Corresponding author. E-mail: bilgebahar@gmail.com. Tel: (+90) 456 511 8669. Fax: (+90) 456 511 8679.

Accepted 3 June, 2010

Abstract

Some spring bread wheat genotypes were evaluated for drought resistance using drought tolerance efficiency (DTE) and drought susceptibility index (DSI) under rainfed conditions in this study. Field trials were conducted in the Research Area of Field Crops Department, Agricultural Faculty, Cukurova University during 2002 - 2003 with high rainfall and 2003 - 2004 with low rainfall growth seasons. High variations were observed for drought resistance parameters both DTE and DSI in this study. While DTE values ranged from 65 - 98%, DSI values changed 0.077 - 1.761. The genotypes with high DTE and low DSI were evaluated as drought resistant; meanwhile, genotypes with low DTE and high DSI were considered as drought susceptible. Thus, genotypes Croc 1/Aegilops squarrosa, Genc 99, Weawer/WL 3926, Oasis/Kauz//*4 Bcn, and Punjab 96 with the lowest DSI and the highest DTE values were accepted drought resistant genotypes which may be used as the genetic sources for drought resistance.

Key words: Drought tolerance efficiency, drought susceptibility index.