Drought resistance of hard wheat cultivars measured by a rapid chlorophyll fluorescence test

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Abstract
Summary: Disks of hard wheat (Triticum durumDesf.) leaves subjected to rapid desiccation over 4 h showed noticeable changes in the shape of thein vivochlorophyll fluorescence induction curves. In drought-sensitive varieties (such as Claridoc), water stress resulted in a strong inhibition of the slow fluorescence induction transients. In particular, the fluorescence quenching rate was markedly decreased in water-stressed leaf disks. In contrast, leaves of drought-resistant varieties (such as Aouedj) showed only minor changes in chlorophyll fluorescence. The results of this investigation suggest that the slow transient of thein vivochlorophyll fluorescence induction phenomenon may provide a simple method for selecting drought-tolerant wheats.