Study on the Contribution of Nodal and Seminal Roots to the Growth and Yield of Wheat Varieties

In order to understand the contribution of nodal and seminal root systems in determining the growth and yield of wheat varieties, two different types of cultivars namely relatively drought resistant (HD 1553 and C 306) and non-drought resistant (ED 1593 and NP 846) were selected. The experimental design was based on the cutting away (amputation) of the nodal and seminal roots differentially and thus transplanting such treated plants to see their effect on growth and yield characters. The study illucida-ted whether the varieties differ in their behaviour when the root systems are severed and whether this differential behaviour has any logical relationship with their parformance concerning the drought resistance. It has been suggested that though the growth and yield of plants are being influenced by both nodal and seminal root systems, the response of varieties to stand under moisture stress condition can probably be determined by the performance of their nodal roots.