SCREENING OF SPRING WHEAT (Triticum aestivum L.) GENOTYPES FOR DROUGHT TOLERANCE ON THE BASIS OF SEEDLING TRAITS

The studies were conducted to determine the genetic variability and correlation amongst root length shoot length, root-shoot ratio, shoot fresh and dry weight of wheat seedlings under normal and drought conditions for screening drought tolerant genotypes. Under drought condition root length, shoot length, shoot fresh and dry weight decreased by 26.19, 26.63, 44.26 and 58.78%, respectively. Significant and positive correlation was found among most of the seedling traits under both plantings except root-shoot ratio which exposed negative correlation with shoot length under both the conditions. Results revealed that all the seedling traits significantly differed among all genotypes of wheat under both environmental conditions. The varieties Chakwal-86, Chakwal-50 and line 6302 were screened as drought tolerant, while Faisalabad-08, Lasani-06 and Sehar-06 as drought susceptible.