Characterization of Drought Resistance of Winter Wheat Varieties in Longdong Drylands
To study the progress and current situation of drought-resistant breeding under the special arid climate conditions in Longdong,14 new winter wheat varieties(lines)selected and bred in Longdong dry land in the past 20 years were chosen as materials.Drought resistance throughout the entire growth period was identified using grain yield,drought resistance index and other indicators,with full growth period drought stress tests conducted in dry sheds.Results showed that the drought resistance index of Longyu 4 and Ningmai 5 ranged between 1.100 to 1.299 with a drought resistance level of 2.Longyu 7 and Longjian 387 had drought resistance indices ranged between 0.700 and 0.899 with a drought resistance level of 4,the remaining 10 varieties had a drought resistance index ranging from 0.900 to 1.099,with a drought resistance level of 3.Varieties with a drought resistance level 2 to 3 accounted for 85.7%of the tested varieties.Principal component analysis of yield traits indicated that Longyu 4 and Ningmai 5,with a drought resistance level of 2,showed no significant changes in effective panicle number,grain number per panicle,and thousand-grain weight under drought stress.Longyu 7 and Longjian 387,with a drought resistance level of 4,showed significant reductions in effective panicle number,grain number per panicle,and thousand-grain weight under drought stress.For the remaining 10 varieties(lines)with a drought resistance level of 3,only one of the three main yield traits,i.e.,effective panicle number,grain number per panicle,and thousand-grain weight,changed under drought conditions,with no overlapping changes in two traits.