Enhancing crop adaptation to water stress through physiological and genetic approaches

Thesis Abstract

Water stress is a major constraint to crop productivity, particularly in arid and semi-arid regions. This project aims to investigate physiological and genetic approaches to enhance crop adaptation to water stress. The study will focus on understanding the mechanisms underlying crop responses to water stress, identifying key physiological traits associated with water use efficiency, and exploring genetic variation for drought tolerance. The project will also evaluate the potential of molecular breeding and biotechnological approaches to develop water-efficient crop varieties. The findings will contribute to the development of resilient cropping systems capable of sustaining productivity under water-limited conditions.