Genetic variability and heritability of drought‐induced abscisic acid accumulation in spring wheat

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Abstract
Twenty cultivars of spring wheat were examined for variation in abscisic acid (ABA) accumulation following partial dehydration of excised leaves. A 3‐fold range of ABA concentration was obtained.A cross between two cultivars which differed in drought‐induced ABA accumulation was used to study the heritability of ABA accumulation and to develop lines differing in their capacity to accumulate ABA. Broad sense heritability was 0–32 between the F2 and F3 generations and 0–70 between the F3 and F4 generations. Apparent homozygosity for ABA accumulation was achieved in several selections at the F4. The possible significance for drought resistance of differences in capacity to accumulate ABA is discussed.