Trait-Based Assessment of Wheat Genotypes for Drought Resilience Using Multivariate Approaches

This research presents a comprehensive study aimed at improving drought tolerance in wheat through a combination of genetic diversity analysis, phenotypic evaluation under both normal and drought conditions. The present study focused on assessing the genetic and phenotypic variability of 110 wheat genotypes under normal and drought conditions. A range of traits, including root length (RL), shoot length (SL), relative water content (RWC), dry plant weight (DPW), fresh plant weight (FPW), root-to-shoot ratio (RSR), and cell membrane thermo-stability (CMT), were evaluated using ANOVA, correlation analysis, and Principal Component Analysis (PCA). The analysis revealed significant genotype-environment interactions for all traits, with the best-performing genotypes; ASS-1, Chakwal-50, Bhakkar-2002, Borlaug 2016, AS 2002, Fateh Jang 16, Millat-08, and PIRSABAK-13, demonstrating superior drought resistance, especially in RWC and CMT. PCA highlighted root length, shoot length, and biomass accumulation as key traits influencing drought resilience, with root length emerging as a pivotal factor. The lowest-performing genotypes ISRAR SHAHEED, Nishan, Dharabi-11, and MA-2021 showed drought susceptibility. These findings provide valuable insights for identifying drought-tolerant wheat genotypes for future breeding programs. The findings provide valuable insights into the identification of key traits and genetic resources for improving wheat performance under water-limited conditions, contributing to sustainable wheat production in drought-prone areas.