Abstract
Six wheat cultivars grown in the field in 1973 showed continuously increasing water deficits which attained severe levels by the end of the season. The relative yield performance of five Triticum aestivum L. cultivars was predictable from the integrated net photosynthetic potential of their flag leaves. Grain productivity of a T. durum L. cultivar, Pelissier, was uniformly underestimated, likely because of poor desiccation tolerance of its flag leaf. It is suggested that Pelissier depended on the longevity of its heavily awned spike for additional grain filling. Results show that photosynthetic desiccation tolerance in severely stressed flag leaves of Pitic 62 ranks above that of Manitou, Cypress, and particularly Selkirk and Pelissier. Glenlea was comparable to Manitou and Cypress in flag leaf assimilation efficiency when subjected to early drought hardening, but exhibited less efficiency when subjected to water deficits late in development.

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