Heat and drought stress on durum wheat: Responses of genotypes, yield, and quality parameters

Heat and/or drought stress during cultivation are likely to affect the processing quality of durum wheat (Triticum turgidum L ssp. durum). This work examined the effects of drought and heat stress conditions on grain yield and quality parameters of nine durum wheat varieties, grown during two years (2008-09 and 2009-10). Generally, G and E showed main effects on all the parameters whereas the effects of G x E were relatively small. More precipitation in Y09-10 may account for the large differences in parameters observed between crop cycles (Y08-09 and Y09-10). Combined results of the two crop cycles showed that flour protein content (FP) and SDS sedimentation volume (SDSS) increased under both stress conditions, but not significantly. In contrast the gluten strength-related parameters lactic acid retention capacity (LARC) and mixograph peak time (MPT) increased and decreased significantly under drought and heat stress, respectively. Drought and heat stress drastically reduced grain yield (Y) but significantly enhanced flour yellowness (FY). LARC and the swelling index of glutenin (SIG) could be alternative tests to screen for gluten strength. Genotypes and qualtiy parameters performed differently to drought and heat stress, which justifies screening durum wheat for both yield and quality traits under these two abiotic stress conditions. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.