COMPARING PROTEIN PATTERN AND DROUGHT TOLERANT INDICATORS AS SCREENING TECHNIQUES FOR DROUGHT TOLERANCE IN COMMON WHEAT GENOTYPES

ABSTRACT: Drought stress is an important factor limiting crop production. Selection of resistant genotypes is a method to decrease the drought effects. In this investigation, eight wheat genotypes were assessed in two environments (irrigated and rain-fed) using randomized complete block design with three replications. Drought resistance indices were calculated using yield data in both stress and non stress conditions to identify resistant and susceptible genotypes. The analysis of variance based of proline content and yield showed genotypic differences among the wheat plants in response to the drought stress. Non-significant negative correlation was observed between seed yield in stress condition and proline content in stress condition. Proline content exhibited significant negative correlations with STI, GMP, HARM and MP. Significant correlations between proline content in stress condition and MP or TOL were also observed. The Cluster analysis assigned the genotypes into three groups with High-yielding (number 8), moderate-yielding (numbers 1 and 2) and low-yielding (numbers 7, 3, 4, 5 and 6). The SDS-PAGE analysis showed that resistant genotype (Pishgam) had lower variation in the protein bands pattern but three sensitive genotypes have most variation in the protein bands pattern