Sarlach, R.S.Toor, Ramandeep Kaur2018-12-022018-12-022018http://krishikosh.egranth.ac.in/handle/1/5810085046The present research work entitled “Genotypic differences and environment influence on epicuticular wax in wheat” was conducted to explore the diversity of genotypes for drought tolerance. The study was carried out at the Laboratory of Department of Botany and the Experimental area of Wheat section, Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana during two successive growing seasons of 2016-17 and 2017-18. To find out the diversity of genotypes for glaucousness, visual scoring was done at vegetative, anthesis and post-anthesis stages under irrigated condition. Accessorymorphological data i.e. plant height, tillers per meter row length, spikelets per spike and grain yield was recorded. After screening of the whole set of genotypes, thirty four genotypes were selected on the basis of their category for glaucousness score and evaluated under irrigated and rain-fed conditions. The genotypes with high glaucousness score were evaluated for epicuticular wax content in flag leaf, peduncle and ear at anthesis and post-anthesis stages. Accessory-morphological data i.e. plant height, tillers per meter row length, spikelets per spike, grains per spike, thousand grain weight, grain yield and harvest index was recorded. Based on the high epicuticular wax content of genotypes at post-anthesis stage under irrigated and rain-fed conditions, Gladius, PBW 771 and BWL 5233 can be regarded as water stress tolerant genotypes on the basis of spikelets per spike, grains per spike, thousand grain weight, grain yield, harvest index and drought tolerance indices. The identified genotypes can be included in the future breeding programmes for crop improvement in drought prone areas.ennullThesis