obtained similar differential responses to drought in corn hybrids using LT,
chlorophyll content and chlorophyll fluorescence, and concluded that these measurements could be used to distinguish
tolerant hybrids from susceptible ones.
The authors also reported similar patterns with the agronomic and
photosynthetic responses of the hybrids to deficit and adequate
water conditions, indicating that tolerant hybrids have a higher yield than susceptible ones, under stress conditions.
It is therefore important to select for physiological markers that could either confer adaptation and higher yield under
water stress conditions or be associated with drought tolerance, and could potentially be used to routinely screen
genotypes and parental plants for selection of new droughttolerant genotypes in breeding programs.