Germination response of common wheat cultivars in Golestan Province to drought stress using the hydrotime model

Articles in Press

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Department of Agronomy, Faculty of Plant Production, Gorgan University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, gorgan, Iran

2 M.Sc. Graduate of Agrotechnology-Seed Science and Technology, Department of Agronomy, Faculty of Plant Production, Gorgan University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Gorgan, Iran

3 Professor, Department of Agronomy, Faculty of Plant Production, Gorgan University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Gorgan, Iran

Abstract

Introduction
Wheat, as a cornerstone of Iran’s food security and agricultural economy, plays a vital role in feeding the population through extensive cultivation in both rainfed and irrigated systems. However, the limited contribution of rainfed wheat production highlights major constraints, including drought stress and inefficient agricultural management in these regions. Golestan Province, with a diverse climate ranging from arid northern regions to humid southern areas, has experienced declining rainfall and reduced rainfed wheat yields, necessitating the identification of drought‑resistant cultivars. This study employs the hydrotime model to analyze the germination behavior of common wheat cultivars in Golestan under drought stress, aiming to identify resilient genotypes and provide insights for optimizing cultivation patterns, improving water resource management, and developing climate‑resilient cultivars. The findings of this study may help reduce agricultural vulnerability, enhance rainfed wheat productivity, and strengthen sustainable food security in Iran’s arid regions.
 
Materials and methods
This study was conducted at the Seed Research Laboratory of Gorgan University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources using a factorial experiment arranged in a completely randomized design. The experimental factors included common wheat cultivars grown in Golestan Province at eleven levels (Aftab, Ehsan, Tirgan, Qaboos, Karim, Kalateh, Kouhdasht, Gonbad, Line 17, Morvarid, and Meraj) and drought stress at six levels (0, −0.3, −0.6, −0.9, −1.2, and −1.5 MPa). Germination tests were conducted in three replicates, with 25 seeds per replicate, placed in 15-cm-diameter Petri dishes and incubated at 20°C. Seeds were considered germinated when the radicle reached ≥2 mm in length. To measure coleoptile length, three replicates of 25 seeds per cultivar were placed in Petri dishes and incubated at 20°C. After seven days, ten seedlings were randomly selected from each Petri dish, and coleoptile length (from the tip to the seed attachment point) was measured. The hydrotime model was applied to analyze the germination responses of wheat cultivars to drought stress. The germination percentage data were fitted to the hydrotime model using the NLMIXED procedure in SAS 9.0. Mean comparisons were performed using the LSD test at the 5% significance level. Figures were prepared using Microsoft Excel 2016.
 
 
Results and discussion
Analysis of variance (ANOVA) revealed that germination percentage was significantly affected by drought stress, cultivar, and their interaction. No significant differences in germination were observed among wheat cultivars under mild moisture stress; however, under severe moisture stress (−1.5 MPa), pronounced differences in germination were detected. In general, cultivars recommended for rainfed cultivation exhibited higher germination percentages under lower water potentials. Significant differences were also observed among wheat cultivars in mean coleoptile length and hydrotime model parameters, including the hydrotime coefficient (θH), base water potential (ψb50), and the standard deviation (σψb). The results indicated a significant negative correlation between coleoptile length and base water potential, suggesting that this parameter could complement or even replace coleoptile length as a criterion for selecting and improving cultivars for rainfed regions. Overall, the findings highlight distinct responses of wheat cultivars to water stress during seed germination.
 
Conclusion
The findings highlight the importance of simultaneously considering base water potential and coleoptile length when selecting drought‑tolerant wheat cultivars during germination. Integrating these two criteria may improve seedling emergence and establishment under water‑limited conditions without reliance on deep sowing, thereby avoiding growth delays and associated risks. Furthermore, the results indicate that recent breeding programs have led to a gradual reduction in coleoptile length and a shift toward less negative base water potential in modern wheat cultivars. This trend raises concerns about the declining resilience of modern wheat cultivars to early‑season drought stress. Therefore, plant breeders should prioritize both coleoptile length and base water potential as complementary indices for developing cultivars adapted to early‑season drought, thereby supporting sustainable wheat productivity in water‑scarce environments.

Keywords

Main Subjects

References

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Environmental Stresses in Crop Sciences

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 29 June 2026

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  • Receive Date: 19 April 2025
  • Revise Date: 08 June 2025
  • Accept Date: 16 June 2025

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