article · Frontiers in Plant Science
Wheat is a vital global staple crop whose productivity in dry ecosystems faces growing threats from climate change. Evaluating six wheat genotypes under water stress reveals distinct physiological, agronomic and molecular response mechanisms. Across all tested varieties, drought affects leaf area, chlorophyll levels, stomatal density, photosynthetic rate and water-use efficiency. However, genotypes respond differently to maintain hydration. Sensitive varieties rely heavily on stomatal control to prevent turgor loss, which leads to substantial reductions in crop yield components. In contrast, resistant genotypes, specifically Syndiouk, D117, Td7 and Utique, cope by accumulating solutes, notably soluble sugars, and increasing cell wall rigidity. These adaptations improve soil water uptake and protect cell membranes from damage. Additionally, resistant varieties show marked upregulation of the PIP2:1 aquaporin gene, while sensitive types display higher expression of an ABA biosynthesis gene.
Drought presents a severe risk to global food security by reducing wheat yields in arid environments. Identifying physiological traits and molecular markers that distinguish drought-tolerant genotypes from sensitive varieties helps researchers understand how crops endure dry conditions. These insights support efforts to select resilient plant lines that sustain productivity despite decreasing water availability in changing climates.
The findings provide early-stage biological evidence and candidate parent lines for crop breeders seeking to develop high-yielding, drought-tolerant wheat varieties. Plant breeding programmes and agricultural research organisations could utilise genotypes such as Syndiouk, D117, Utique and Td7 in their pipelines. As early-stage laboratory and greenhouse research focusing on physiological traits and gene expression, the work remains several stages away from real-world seed commercialisation.
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Introduction Wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.) is among the world’s most important staple food crops. In the current climate change scenario, a better understanding of wheat response mechanisms to water stress could help to enhance its productivity in arid ecosystems. Methods In this study, water relations, gas exchange, membrane integrity, agronomic traits and molecular analysis were evaluated in six wheat genotypes (D117, Syndiouk, Tunisian durum7 (Td7), Utique, Mahmoudi AG3 and BT) subjected to drought-stress. Results and discussion For all the studied genotypes, drought stress altered leaf area, chlorophyll content, stomatal density, photosynthetic rate and water-use efficiency, while the relative water content at turgor loss point (RWC0) remained stable. Changes in osmotic potential at turgor loss point (Ψπ 0 ), bulk modulus of elasticity (Ɛmax) and stomatal regulation, differed greatly among the studied genotypes. For the drought-sensitive genotypes AG3 and BT, no significant changes were observed in Ψπ 0 , whereas the stomatal conductance (gs) and transpiration rate (E) decreased under stress conditions. These two varieties avoided turgor loss during drought treatment through an accurate stomatal control, resulting in a significant reduction in yield components. On the contrary, for Syndiouk, D117, Td7 and Utique genotypes, a solute accumulation and an increase in cell wall rigidity were the main mechanisms developed during drought stress. These mechanisms were efficient in enhancing soil water uptake, limiting leaf water loss and protecting cells membranes against leakage induced by oxidative damages. Furthermore, leaf soluble sugars accumulation was the major component of osmotic adjustment in drought-stressed wheat plants. The transcriptional analysis of genes involved in the final step of the ABA biosynthesis (AAO) and in the synthesis of an aquaporin (PIP2:1) revealed distinct responses to drought stress among the selected genotypes. In the resistant genotypes, PIP2:1 was significantly upregulated whereas in the sensitive ones, its expression showed only a slight induction. Conversely, the sensitive genotypes exhibited higher levels of AAO gene expression compared to the resistant genotypes. Our results suggest that drought tolerance in wheat is regulated by the interaction between the dynamics of leaf water status and stomatal behavior. Based on our findings, Syndiouk, D117, Utique and Td7, could be used in breeding programs for developing high-yielding and drought-tolerant wheat varieties.
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DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1232583
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