USE OF EASY AND LESS EXPENSIVE METHODOLOGY TO RAPIDLY SCREEN FRUIT CROPS FOR DROUGHT TOLERANCE

During the present study few simple, less expensive, less cumbersome but reliable indices to rapidly screen fruit crops for drought tolerance were practiced.
Indices namely xylem water potential, relative water content, chlorophyll stability index, drought injury index and rapid test for drought tolerance were used for testing relative drought tolerance in fourteen varieties of apple, five of olive and six of strawberry.
On the basis of above indices, these varieties were screened and categorized as relatively highly tolerant, moderate and susceptible.
These indices will be highly useful to rapidly screen any number of fruit crops for drought tolerance at all phenological phases and will pave the way for ascertaining damage caused due to water stress to any fruit crop right from nursery to full grown plants.

VII International Symposium on Temperate Zone Fruits in the Tropics and Subtropics

A. Thakur

xylem water potential, relative water content, chlorophyll stability index, drought, tolerance

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2004.662.33