A method for drought tolerance screening in sunflower

Abstract

One difficulty in obtaining drought-tolerant varieties is the unequivocal evaluation of plant response to soil-water deficits. A method is proposed that allows reproducible soil-water deficit treatments to be applied to different sunflower genotypes. Maize (Zea mays L.) plants were sown in the same pots as but earlier than some sunflower plants in order to rapidly deplete the soil water. This method was compared to a standard method in which plants under evaluation are used to dry out the soil. The method was reproducible in the evaluation of drought tolerance of four sunflower inbred lines. Advantages of the proposed method are that: (i) it allows the desired soil water content to be reached quickly; (ii) the resulting soil water content in the pot is uniform and (iii) the rate of decrease in soil water content is independent of the genotype being evaluated. Data indicate that maize plants had no effect on the growth of sunflower genotypes.

Biomass Allocation Patterns Are Linked to Genotypic Differences in Whole-Plant Transpiration Efficiency in Sunflower

“…In all experiments, the intensity of the soil water deficit reached was mild (−0.65 MPa), and daily adjustment of soil water content ensured that all genotypes were subjected to a similar water deficit treatment irrespective of their leaf area or water use rate, which has been shown to increase the repeatability of rankings of genotype performance under drought (Pereyra-Irujo et al, 2007 ).…”

Drought Tolerance Screening Under Controlled Conditions Predicts Ranking of Water‐Limited Yield of Field‐Grown Soybean Genotypes

“…Gravimetrically controlling soil water content is the most widespread method for reliably imposing a reproducible drought treatment to potted plants under controlled conditions, allowing to manage the timing, intensity and duration of the stress, therefore reducing the influence of environmental conditions and water-use rate of individual plants. This method has been successfully used in model and crop species, such as Arabidopsis thaliana (Bacs o et al 2008), sunflower (Pereyra-Irujo et al 2007), maize (Chapuis et al 2012) and soybean (Earl 2003). Correlating results obtained using controlled environment phenotyping with field performance remains one of the most important challenges in breeding for drought-tolerant crops (Passioura 2012).…”

Genetic control of physiological traits associated to low temperature growth in sunflower under early sowing conditions

“…Two main strategies have been studied to maximize the sunflower production under drought stress conditions. The first way is to improve the drought tolerance of sunflower cultivars [2,3]. Early sowing is the second way to avoid the critical water stress period [4].…”