Effect of drought stress on wheat root growth and architecture at vegetative growth stage

The development of crops with suitable root traits, enable them to have higher yields in soils with higher salt and limited water. The aims of this study were to determine soil water potential levels to obtain a significant root growth response and identify genotypic differences in seminal root length and root branches in response to drought stress. Three separate factorial greenhouse experiments at vegetative stage of wheat were carried out based on completely randomized design with three replications. The optimum water potential level needed to obtain a significant root growth response ranged from −7 to −8 bar. The results showed the genotypic diversity in root growth response to drought stress. Drought stress reduced root system growth such as seminal axile root length, two longest seminal axile roots, number of seminal roots and distance between the root tip and the first branch root by 19, 21, 37 and 46 % respectively, compared to control. The reduction of root growth traits of tolerant drought stress cultivars was less than sensitive ones. Genotypic variation in root growth response to drought stress indicates the suitable opportunities to improve drought tolerance through plant breeding.