The researchers studied how different levels of water stress affect winter wheat plants. They used different amounts of water to create drought conditions in the plants. They found that as the plants received more water, their temperature decreased, while their water use efficiency increased. The most severe drought stress during the heading stage led to the highest water use efficiency. Canopy temperature was closely related to air saturation deficit and leaf water potential. Overall, canopy temperature can be a useful indicator to monitor the water status of wheat plants during different growth stages.