Physiological stem measurements of three wheat cultivars ranging in drought stress

In this study, several physiological variables were measured in three different wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivars. One drought sensitive cultivar (Viking) and two resistant cultivars (Impala and Servus) were subjected to different levels of drought stress. Variables such as the water potential, osmotic potential and water content are important to assess the hydraulic properties of drought responses in a plant. These variables were measured in the stems of the different cultivars because the stem water potential (SWP) is assumed to be a more stable measure of drought stress than the leaf water potential. We also measured the different variables in the wrapped leaves, as they should represent stem conditions. Soil water content and water potential were measured to quantify the drought stress. A total of nine pots were measured for each cultivar, and five plants per pot (n=5) were measured.Different levels of drought stress were induced at the booting phase, when stem mobilization was ongoing, while measurements took place a few days after anthesis, ensuring presence of carbohydrate storage in the stem.