Genetic Variability and Correlation among Seedling Traits of Wheat (Triticum aestivum) under Water Stress

Purpose of the study was to determine the genetic variability and correlation among shoot length, root length, root-shoot ratio, fresh weight, dry weight, stomatal frequency and stomatal density of wheat seedlings under water stress. Significant differences were observed among genotypes for all the seedling traits studied under control (normal) and water stress. Under water stress length, fresh weight and dry weight of root and shoot, stomatal frequency and stomatal density decreased by 24.21, 1.27, 17.18, 25.00, 14.25 and 14.24%, respectively while root-shoot ratio increased by 31.18% over the control values. correlation studies indicated that all the traits were significantly correlated except stomatal frequency with root length and between stomatal density and root length (r=0.054) under control conditions. All the traits were significantly correlated both under control and water stress. Root-shoot ratio showed negative correlation with all other traits. © 2010 Friends Science Publishers