Integrating grain yield, component traits and metabolite profiles aids in selecting drought‐adapted and climate‐smart crop varieties preferred by end users. Understanding the trends and magnitude of grain‐based metabolites is vital for selecting wheat genotypes with higher grain yield, drought tolerance, water use efficiency and product profiles. The aim of this study was to determine the response of newly developed wheat genotypes for grain yield and component traits and metabolites under drought stress to guide selection. One hundred wheat genotypes were preliminarily evaluated for agro‐morphological traits and water use efficiency under drought‐stressed and non‐stressed conditions during the 2022 and 2023 growing seasons using a 5 × 20 alpha lattice design with two replications. Ten high‐yielding genotypes were selected based on grain yield and were validated for agronomic traits and water use efficiency (WUE), and grain samples were assayed to profile their key metabolites under drought‐stressed conditions. Significant differences existed (p < 0.05) among the tested wheat genotypes for yield and yield components, WUE, drought tolerance and major metabolites to discern trait associations. The grain yield of the 10 genotypes ranged from 590.00 g m−2 (genotype LM70 × BW140) to 800.00 g m−2 (BW141 × LM71) under drought‐stressed treatment, whilst under non‐stressed it ranged from 760.06 g m −2 (LM70 × BW140) to 908.33 g m−2 (LM71 × BW162). Grain yield‐based water use efficiency of the assessed genotypes was higher under non‐stressed (0.18 g mm−1) than drought‐stressed (0.17 g mm−1) conditions. The highest drought tolerance index (211.67) and stress susceptibility index (0.77) were recorded for BW162 × LM71, whilst the lowest tolerance index (23.33) and stress susceptibility index (0.09) were recorded in BW141 × LM71. Grain metabolites, including the apigenin‐8‐C‐glucoside (log2Fold = 3.00) and malate (log2Fold = 3.60) were present in higher proportions in the high‐yielding genotypes (BW141 × LM71 and LM71 × BW162) under drought‐stressed conditions, whilst fructose (log2Fold = −0.50) and cellulose (log2Fold = −3.90) showed marked decline in the two genotypes. Based on phenotypic and metabolite profile analyses, genotypes BW141 × LM71 and LM71 × BW162 were selected for being drought‐tolerant, water‐use efficient and recommended for production or breeding. The findings revealed associations between yield components, water use efficiency and grain metabolites to guide the selection of best‐performing and drought‐tolerant wheat varieties.

中文翻译：

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利用干旱胁迫下的产量构成、水分利用效率和主要代谢物选择小麦 (Triticum aestivum L.) 基因型


整合谷物产量、成分性状和代谢物谱有助于选择最终用户喜欢的干旱适应型和气候智能型作物品种。了解谷物代谢物的趋势和数量对于选择具有更高谷物产量、耐旱性、水分利用效率和产品特征的小麦基因型至关重要。本研究的目的是确定新开发的小麦基因型在干旱胁迫下对谷物产量、组成性状和代谢物的响应，以指导选择。采用 5 × 20 α 点阵设计，两次重复，对 2022 年和 2023 年生长季干旱胁迫和非胁迫条件下的 100 个小麦基因型的农业形态性状和水分利用效率进行了初步评估。根据谷物产量选择了十个高产基因型，并对其农艺性状和水分利用效率（WUE）进行了验证，并对谷物样品进行了分析，以分析其在干旱胁迫条件下的关键代谢物。测试的小麦基因型之间在产量和产量组成、WUE、耐旱性和主要代谢物方面存在显着差异（p < 0.05），以辨别性状关联。干旱胁迫下10个基因型的籽粒产量为590.00 gm−2（基因型LM70 × BW140）至800.00 gm−2（BW141 × LM71），非胁迫下产量为760.06 gm −2（LM70 × BW140）。 BW140) 至 908.33 gm−2 (LM71 × BW162)。所评估基因型的基于谷物产量的水分利用效率在非胁迫（0.18 g mm−1）条件下高于干旱胁迫（0.17 g mm−1）条件。 BW162×LM71的耐旱指数最高（211.67）和胁迫敏感性指数（0.77），而耐旱指数最低（23.67）。BW141 × LM71 记录了压力敏感性指数（0.09）和（33）。在干旱胁迫条件下，谷物代谢物，包括芹菜素-8-C-葡萄糖苷 (log2Fold = 3.00) 和苹果酸 (log2Fold = 3.60) 在高产基因型（BW141 × LM71 和 LM71 × BW162）中存在较高比例，而果糖（log2Fold = -0.50）和纤维素（log2Fold = -3.90）在两种基因型中显示出显着下降。基于表型和代谢物谱分析，选择基因型 BW141 × LM71 和 LM71 × BW162 具有耐旱性、水分利用效率，并推荐用于生产或育种。研究结果揭示了产量组成、水分利用效率和谷物代谢物之间的关联，以指导选择表现最好和耐旱的小麦品种。