Response to drought stress in traditional varieties of durum wheat

The Mediterranean region is one of the most vulnerable areas due to climate change scenarios, and abiotic stresses such as drought are predicted to increasingly impact crop productivity, as is the case for durum wheat. Considering these challenges, it is crucial to exploit germplasm material, which could represent a source of resilience to face major environmental variations. In this study, we used a panel of traditional varieties grown under different water regimes and performed phenotypic and transcriptomic studies to highlight possible differences in the response to drought among genotypes. High-throughput phenotyping was carried out throughout the life cycle of the plants, while flag leaves and developing grains were collected at 10 and 20 days after pollination (DAP) for RNA extraction and sequencing. Plant growth followed a Weibull curve under control conditions and a bell-shaped curve under stress conditions. Among the analyzed genotypes, we identified a few promising ones, showing a higher green area and delayed senescence, while exhibiting a smaller reduction in kernel weight, compared to Svevo cultivar, under drought conditions. The integration of data from different omics approaches will reveal both common and unique mechanisms adopted by the distinct varieties in response to drought, contributing to a better understanding of the biological processes underpinning stress tolerance. This information will be critical for developing strategies to improve crop resilience and support agricultural productivity under changing environmental conditions.