Utilizing high-throughput phenotyping to dissect plant genetic resources of wheat and chickpea under drought stress

Abstract

Crop adaptation is crucial for the development of varieties that are stable for yield even under challenging conditions such as drought. With High-throughput phenotyping (HTP), plant genetic resources (PGR) and advanced breeding material such as near-isogenic lines can be studied under drought stress and re-watering. From a panel of chickpea PGR, it could be identified that the market type desi is more tolerant to drought stress during vegetative growth than the market type kabuli. This better tolerance could also be further elucidated using theoretical non-photochemical quenching in HTP. In addition, the effect of two QTLs of wild emmer in near-isogenic lines of bread wheat over the entire life cycle were investigated. The results of the HTP experiment and field experiments aligned and in addition the stay-green effect was identified with HTP. HTP is a leading technology to investigate drought tolerance of PGR.