Breeding Opportunities for Increasing the Efficiency of Water Use and Crop Yield in Temperate Cereals

Genetic advances in grain yield under rainfed conditions have been achieved by empirical breeding methods. Progress is slowed, however, by large genotype x season and genotype x location interactions arising from unpredictable rainfall, which is a feature of dry environments. A good understanding of factors limiting and/or regulating yield now provides us with an opportunity to identify and then select for physiological and morphological traits...