Journal of Multidisciplinary Sciences www.multidisciplines.com J. Multidiscip. Sci. 2020, 2(2), 8-18. https://doi.org/10.33888/jms.2020.222 www.multidisciplines.com Screening of wheat genotypes for drought tolerance using a combination of morphological and biochemical traits Atiqur Rahman 1 , Abul Awlad Khan 2 , and Mohammad Saiful Islam 1 * 1 Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Dhaka, 1207, Bangladesh. 2 Bangladesh Wheat and Maize Research Institute, Regional Station, Rajshahi, Bangladesh. * Corresponding author email address: saiful_sau@yahoo.com Received: 01 July 2020; Accepted: 21 August 2020; Published online: 30 August 2020 Abstract. The research work was performed during the period from November 2017 to April 2018 in rabi season in the experimental plot of Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Dhaka, Bangladesh, to find out the role of morphological and biochemical performance in spring wheat under drought stress. Twenty diverse genotypes, including sixteen lines and four local checks, were evaluated under field conditions. Mean performance, genetic parameters, and Pearson’s correlation coefficient were calculated. The most extended plant (84.20 cm) was recorded in genotype Shatabdi, and the highest grain yield/plant (5.57 g) was recorded in Prodip, while the lowest grain yield/plant (4.15 g) was observed in the wheat genotype SAWYT-312. The phenotypic coefficient of variation was higher than the genotypic coefficient of variation for all the yield contributing parameters. In the correlation study, a significant positive association was recorded for grain yield/plant with plant height (0.688), number of spike/m 2 (0.269), number of spikelets/spike (0.630), peduncle length (0.640), and weight of 1000 grains (0.201). The positive correlation observed between grain yield, and proline content under-drought stress conditions prove that proline accumulation might ultimately be considered a tool for effectively selecting drought-tolerant genotypes. In consideration of yield contributing characters and yield, Prodip showed better under drought conditions. Keywords: Wheat, drought, chlorophyll, proline. Cite this as: Rahman, A., Khan, A.A. & Islam, M.S. (2020). Screening of wheat genotypes for drought tolerance using a combination of morphological and biochemical traits. J. Multidiscip. Sci. 2(2), 8-18. 1. Introduction Plant’s physiological responses to a deficit of water influence growth and development by directing nutrients to the plants’ different parts. Plants are more susceptible to drought during the flowering and seed development stages. Crop plants undergo several environmental stresses, which lead to a significant reduction in production (Farooq et al., 2011). Among these environmental stresses, drought is considered one of the most harmful factors, which cause a significant decrease in crop productivity (Noorka and Heslop-Harrison, 2014). It hampered average growth, impairs water relations, and decrease water use efficiency in plants (Aroca, 2012). Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is one of the essential winter crops and is a temperature-sensitive crop. It is the second most crucial grain crop after rice. It was observed that its production is projected to decrease across the globe due to recurring droughts associated with climate change (Knox et al., 2012). Hence, the wheat yields need to be increased to meet growing populations’ food demands (Ray et al., 2013). Therefore, breeding drought-tolerant wheat genotypes with relevant morphological and biochemical traits is essential to increase productivity and food security among wheat-growing countries. Phenotyping remains a crucial criterion for screening breeding materials based on drought adaptive and constitutive morpho-physiological characteristics, including yield and its components (Passioura, 2012). The yield of wheat is meager in Bangladesh. However, it is not an indication of this crop’s low yielding potentiality but may be attributed to several reasons. Among different factors, seeds of wide yielding varieties and water availability or drought stress are the significant reasons for yield reduction. Drought is one of the most common factors that limit the productivity of wheat crops