Drought is one of the most adverse factors affecting plant growth and productivity. Identifying elite genotypes and their ideotypic traits conferring high yield potential and drought tolerance is critical in selecting and breeding drought‐tolerant wheat cultivars. In this study, we conducted field experiments at the Xinxiang Agricultural Comprehensive Experimental station in the North China Plain from 2018 to 2020 and assessed 209 wheat cultivars released since the 1940s under irrigated and nonirrigated conditions. Then, we selected drought‐tolerant cultivars by classifying them into four groups based on yield response to drought stress and several drought indices. Finally, the key ideotypic traits associated with high yield potential and drought tolerance were identified. Results indicated that the grain yield of the 209 cultivars decreased on average by 10.4% and 9.4% under nonirrigated treatment in 2018–2019 and 2019–2020, respectively, relative to full irrigation. The high‐yielding cultivars under both irrigation treatments are characterised by a compact plant type, larger thousand‐grain weight, larger chlorophyll content, higher leaf photosynthesis, shorter plant height and stay‐green traits. The stomatal and nonstomatal limitations are strongly associated with genotype yield performance, elucidating a potential mechanism underlying drought tolerance. Drought tolerance and yield stability of wheat cultivars have been improved through breeding over the past 70 years. Our findings enhance understanding of drought tolerance and identify genotypes and traits beneficial for breeding high‐yielding and drought‐tolerant cultivars.

中文翻译：

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根据个体性状和产量对胁迫的反应鉴定高产和耐旱小麦品种


干旱是影响植物生长和生产力的最不利因素之一。鉴定赋予高产潜力和耐旱性的优良基因型及其表型性状对于选择和育种耐旱小麦品种至关重要。在这项研究中，我们于2018年至2020年在华北平原新乡农业综合试验站进行了田间试验，评估了209个自20世纪40年代以来在灌溉和非灌溉条件下育成的小麦品种。然后，我们根据对干旱胁迫的产量响应和几个干旱指数将其分为四组，从而选择了耐旱品种。最后，确定了与高产潜力和耐旱性相关的关键表型性状。结果表明，209个品种的籽粒产量在2018-2019年和2019-2020年不灌处理下相对于全灌处理平均分别下降10.4%和9.4%。两种灌溉处理下的高产品种均具有株型紧凑、千粒重较大、叶绿素含量较高、叶片光合作用较高、株高较短、常绿性状等特点。气孔和非气孔限制与基因型产量表现密切相关，阐明了耐旱性的潜在机制。经过70多年的育种，小麦品种的耐旱性和产量稳定性得到了提高。我们的研究结果增强了对耐旱性的理解，并确定了有利于培育高产和耐旱品种的基因型和性状。