Response of sugar beet genotypes to in vitro induced water deficit

Abstract

Sugar beet is one of the most important industrial crops. In many areas of sugar beet production, the water deficit during the summer significantly limits the root yield and the sugar content. Since breeding for drought tolerance is economically the most viable solution for overcoming this problem, it is necessary to understand the reaction of sugar beet genotypes to the conditions of water deficit. As part of an extensive study of sugar beet reaction to drought stress, this research was conducted with the aim to detect changes in growth parameters, proline content and the expression of candidate genes during the in vitro induced water deficit.