Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-gvvz8 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-26T05:10:06.205Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

A Field Screening Technique for Drought Tolerance

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 October 2008

Prem Sagar
Affiliation:
Department of Plant Breeding, Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar-125 004, India
R. L. Kapoor
Affiliation:
Department of Plant Breeding, Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar-125 004, India

Summary

A simple yet effective field screening technique for estimating drought tolerance is described. It involves growing plants in sloping plots which are opposite each other and connected to sub-channels lined with polyethylene sheet. The slopes are designed to achieve instant surface run-off and the sub-channels connected to a main channel for rapid drainage of rain-water. Stress is created at different stages of crop growth by manipulating the timing of irrigation and covering the soil surface with polyethylene sheeting. The technique proved effective even in the monsoon season which is characterized by irregular intensity and distribution of rainfall. Data on six characters for 80 genotypes of pearl millet grown in six artificially created environments representing different levels of moisture stress are discussed. The ‘slope’ technique was effective in creating different levels of moisture stress at various stages of crop growth and in distinguishing categories of genotypes by their relative drought tolerance.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1986

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Aungus, J. F. & Moncur, M. W. (1977). Water stress and phenology in wheat. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 28:177181.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bidinger, F. R., Mahalakshmi, V., Talukdar, B. S. & Alagarawamy, G. (1982). Improvement of drought resistance in pearl millet. In Drought Resistance in Crops with Emphasis on Rice, 357375. Los Banos, Philippines: International Rice Research Institute.Google Scholar
Boyer, J. S. & McPherson, H. G. (1975). Physiology of water deficits in cereal crops. Advances in Agronomy 27:123.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Chang, T. T., Loresto, G. C. & Tagumpay, O. (1974). Screening rice germplasm for drought resistance. SABRO Journal 6:916.Google Scholar
Fischer, R. A. & Maurer, R. (1978). Drought resistance in spring wheat cultivars. I. Grain yield responses. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 29:897912.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hanks, R. J., Keller, J., Rassmussen, V. P. & Wilson, D. G. (1976). Line source sprinkler for continuous variable irrigation crop production studies. Soil Science Society of America Journal 40:426429.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Horton, M. L. (1962). Rainout shelter for corn. Iowa Farm Science 17:16.Google Scholar
Henkel, P. A. (1961). Drought resistance in plants: Methods of recognition and intensification. In Arid Zone Research XVI. Plant Water Relationships in Arid and Semi-arid Conditions. Proceedings Madrid Symposium, 167173. Paris: UNESCO.Google Scholar
Hsiao, T. C. (1973). Plant responses to water stress. Annual Review of Physiology 24:519570.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Johnson, D. A. (1980). Improvement of perennial herbaceous plants for drought stressed western range-lands. In Adaptation of Plants to Water and High Temperature Stress, 419434 (Eds Turner, N. C. & Kramer, P. J.). New York: John Wiley & Sons.Google Scholar
Johnson, D. A., Rumbaugh, M. D. & Asay, K. H. (1981). Plant improvement for semi-arid rangelands: possibilities for drought resistance and nitrogen fixation. Plant and Soil 58:279304.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kaul, R. (1969). Relation between water status and yield in some wheat cultivars. Zeitschrift für Pflanzen-züchtung 62:145165.Google Scholar
Keim, D. R. & Kronstad, W. E. (1981). Drought response of winter wheat grown under field conditions. Crop Science 21:1115.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Parsons, L. R. (1979). Breeding for drought resistance: what plant characteristics impart resistance? Horticultural Science 14:590593.Google Scholar
Singh, T. N., Paleg, L. G. & Aspinall, D. (1973). Stress metabolism. Variations in response to water deficit in the barley plant. Australian Journal of Biological Science 26:6576.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Talukdar, B. S., Mahalakshmi, V., Bidinger, F. R., Alagarswamy, G., Hare, B. W. & Andrews, D. J. (1980). Improvement in drought tolerance in pearl millet. (Mimiographed paper). Patancheru PO 502 324, India: ICRISAT.Google Scholar
Turner, N. C. & Kramer, P. J. (1980). Adaptation of Plants to Water and High Temperature Stress. New York: John Wiley & Sons.Google Scholar