Effect of pre-anthesis water stress on growth, photosynthesis and yield of six wheat cultivars differing in drought tolerance

Six wheat genotypes differing in relative drought tolerance were used to study the effects of pre-anthesis water deficits on photosynthesis, growth and yield. The results indicated that pre-anthesis water deficit affects adversely the main shoot grain yield of most of the cultivars tested. The stress-induced reduction in main shoot grain yield could not be explained by the effects on photosynthesis. The lower yields under pre-anthesis drought stress were due to reduction in both grain number and grain weight. C 306 among the tall types and Kundan among the dwarf types compensated better for the yield loss in main shoot by their tiller grain yield.