Evaluation of drought tolerance in several genotypes of spelt (Triticum aestivum Var. Spelta)

• Author(s): Silva, João Miguel Borges Branco da
• Date: 2014
• Persistent ID: http://hdl.handle.net/10362/14610
• Origin: Repositório Institucional da UNL
• Subject(s): Drought; Domestication; Spelt; Wheat; Diet; Nutrition
• Document Type: Master thesis
• Language: English
• Advisor(s): Lidon, Fernando; Cakmak, Ismail
• Contributor(s): RUN

Description

Domestication of plants and plant breeding have dramatically eroded the allelic variations of crop species which led to an increasing susceptibility of crop plants to environmental stresses, diseases and pests. Drought is a major environmental stress factor that affects the growth and development of plants so the selection of tolerant genotypes becomes increasingly important with respect to the predicted effects of global warming. In this study, several genotypes of Spelt (Triticum aestivum var. spelta) were tested under low water supply in soil with the aim of to find Spelt genotypes more resistant than wheat to these conditions, and select them so that in future may be used to improve wheat crops. Morphological analyses were performed and mineral and enzymatic analyses and also dry matter production were calculated. Our results suggests that the genotypes Sp53, Sp96, Sp912, Sp757 and Sp804 are a potential ones to use in breeding programs to improve wheat production. Under drought, these genotypes had growth efficiency of 38%, 45%, 64%, 37%, and 31% respectively and also showed higher biomass than modern wheat and were also mineralogical richer. The genotypes Sp96 and Sp912 showed highest activity of all antioxidants enzymes tested. This work proves that Spelt is a good wheat to continue to study in order to improve wheat crops in dry areas and consequently increase the quality of life and health of the populations living in those areas.