Stay-green wheat variety shows resilience to devastating terminal drought stress
Terminal drought, which occurs during the grain-filling phase, is a major threat to wheat production. A study looked at how terminal drought affects two types of winter wheat. They found that terminal drought led to leaf aging and decreased water content, chlorophyll levels, and nitrogen content. This resulted in lower grain yield and weight. One of the wheat varieties, Karla, showed better tolerance to terminal drought due to its "stay-green" strategy, which helps it retain chlorophyll and maintain better photosynthesis. This trait could be useful in breeding programs to improve wheat's ability to withstand terminal drought and ensure higher yields.