Analysis of Physiological Status in Response to Water Deficit of Spelt (Triticum aestivum ssp. spelta) Cultivars in Reference to Common Wheat (Triticum aestivum ssp. vulgare)

Climate change, including decreasing rainfall, makes cultivating cereals more difficult. Drought stress reduces plant growth and most all yields. On the other hand, consumers’ interest in ancient wheat varieties, spelt, is growing. The aim of this work to compare response drought between spelt (Triticum aestivum ssp. spelta) common vulgare). Six cultivars from different European countries ‘Bogatka’ as a reference were chosen for research. photosynthesis process, chlorophyll fluorescence, relative water content, content free proline anthocyanins well-watered drought-stressed plants measured. It was shown that ‘Franckenkorn’ ‘Badengold’ much resistant deficit than even wheat. A slight reduction CO2 assimilation (by 27%) no transpiration rate, with simultaneous intensive (eighteen times fold increase) accumulation (increase by 222%) along increase lipid peroxidation level (1.9%) revealed prove cultivar can cope be effectively cultivated areas limited abundance.