FIELD EVALUATION OF KASIB WHEAT GERMPLASM FOR DROUGHT TOLERANCE IN KAZAKHSTAN

Madina Kumarbayeva; Alma Kokhmetova; Zhenis Keishilov; Aidana Kharipzhanova; Nadezhda Kovalenko

doi:10.37884/4-2026/09

Abstract

Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is a strategically important crop for global food security, particularly under increasing climate variability and drought frequency. Identifying genotypes that combine high productivity, disease resistance, and environmental adaptability remains a key objective of modern breeding. The aim of this study was to comprehensively evaluate spring wheat varieties and lines from the international KASIB nursery to identify promising genotypes with high yield potential and drought tolerance. The research was conducted in the Kostanay region at the Karabalyk Agricultural Experiment Station. Phenological observations, morphometric analysis, NDVI assessment, phytopathological screening for leaf rust resistance, and determination of the drought tolerance index (DSI) were applied. Statistical methods were used to assess trait variability and identify adaptation patterns. The results revealed significant phenotypic variability among the studied accessions. Thirty-six genotypes exhibited high NDVI values (0.55–0.67), indicating intensive biomass accumulation. The 1,000-kernel weight ranged from 24 to 57 g, with 27 accessions exceeding 40 g, reflecting high productivity potential. Phytopathological screening identified 59 genotypes with an immune response to leaf rust. Morphometric analysis showed that the length of the last internode (15–47 cm) is a key adaptive trait associated with both productivity and drought tolerance. Grain yield varied from 17.7 to 53.9 c/ha. The drought tolerance index (DSI) ranged from 0.26 to 1.17, with 23 genotypes classified as drought-tolerant (DSI ≤ 0.50). These findings confirm the high genetic and phenotypic diversity of the KASIB collection and demonstrate the effectiveness of integrating morphological, physiological, and phytopathological traits for identifying adaptive and high-yielding genotypes for breeding programs.

drought tolerance, field evaluation, wheat, KASIB,abiotic stress, drought phenotyping, yield stability

01 Introduction

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02 References

Avalbaev A.M. (2024). Drought tolerance of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) plants: Physiological and biochemical indicators under water deficit. FAO AGRIS. https://agris.fao.org/search/en/providers/122613/records/66f3da5bdb9bf9ac61020230 [in Eng.]
Blum A. (2011). Drought resistance—is it really a complex trait? Functional Plant Biology. 38. Рр. 753–757. https://doi.org/10.1071/FP11101 [in Eng.]
CIMMYT. (2016). Kazakhstan–Siberia Network on Spring Wheat Improvement (KASIB): Annual Report. CIMMYT. —Mexico City, Mexico. [in Eng.]
Evdokimov M.G., Yusov V.S., Morgounov A.I., Zelensky Yu.I. (2017). Drought tolerance gene pool in developing adaptive varieties of durum wheat identified in study nurseries under the Kazakhstan-Siberian program. Vavilovskii Zhurnal Genetiki i Selektsii // Vavilov Journal of Genetics and Breeding. 21(5). Рр. 515–522. https://doi.org/10.18699/VJ17.23-o [in Eng.]
FAO. (2023). FAOSTAT Statistical Database. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. —Rome, Italy. [in Eng.]
Fernandez G.C.J. (1992). Effective selection criteria for assessing plant stress tolerance. In: Proceedings of the International Symposium on Adaptation of Vegetables and Other Food Crops in Temperature and Water Stress. AVRDC. — Tainan, Taiwan. Рр. 257–270. [in Eng.]
Fischer R.A., Maurer R. (1978). Drought resistance in spring wheat cultivars. I. Grain yield responses // Australian Journal of Agricultural Research. 29. Рр. 897–912. https://doi.org/10.1071/AR9780897 [in Eng.]
IPCC. (2021). Climate Change 2021: The Physical Science Basis. Contribution of Working Group I to the Sixth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Cambridge University Press. — Cambridge, UK. [in Eng.]
Ingram J., Bartels D. (1996). The molecular basis of dehydration tolerance in plants. Annual Review of Plant Physiology and Plant Molecular Biology. 47(1). Рр. 377–403. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.arplant.47.1.377 [in Eng.]
Kalybekova Zh.T., Tsygankov V.I., Zuev E.V., Novikova L.Yu. (2022). Using drought tolerance indices in studying a collection of spring soft wheat in the Aktobe region. Transactions on Applied Botany, Genetics and Breeding. 183(3). Рр. 85–95. https://doi.org/10.30901/2227-8834-2022-3-85-95 [in Rus.]
Kumarbaeva M., Kokhmetova A., Keishilov Zh., Bolatbekova A., Bakhytuly K., Kovalenko N. (2025). Identification of new sources of wheat resistance to various diseases // Іzdenіster, nәtizheler – Issledovaniya, rezul’taty. — A. No. 3. Pр. 314–324. https://doi.org/10.37884/3-2025/30 [in Eng]
Malysheva A.A., Kokhmetova A.M., Kumarbaeva M.T., Kejshilov Zh.S., Dubekova S. (2023). Molekulyarno-geneticheskij skrining Lr-genov ustojchivosti u obraztsov myagkoj yarovoj pshenitsy v usloviyakh yugo-vostoka Kazakhstana // Іzdenіster, nәtizheler – Issledovaniya, rezul’taty. — A. №3 (99). Рр. 92–99. https://doi.org/10.37884/1-2023/08 [in Rus]
McIntosh R.A., Wellings C.R., Park R.F. (1995). Wheat Rusts: An Atlas of Resistance Genes. Dordrecht: Kluwer Academic Publishers. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-0083-0 [in Eng]
Morgounov A.I. (2003). Results and potential of the collaboration in the Kazakhstan-Siberian wheat breeding network. Vestnik regionalnoy seti po vnedreniyu sortov pshenitsy i semenovodstvu // Bulletin of the Regional Network for Wheat Variety Introduction and Seed Production. 1(4). Рр. 7–15. [in Eng.]
Lobell D.B., Schlenker W., Costa-Roberts J. (2011). Climate trends and global crop production since 1980. Science. 333. Рр. 616–620. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1204531 [in Eng.]
Nyaupane S. et al. (2024). Drought stress effect, tolerance, and management in wheat. Cogent Food & Agriculture. 10. Article 2296094. https://doi.org/10.1080/23311932.2023.2296094 [in Eng.]
Reynolds M., Tattaris M., Cossani C.M., Ellis M., Yamaguchi-Shinozaki K., Pierre C.S. (2015). Exploring genetic resources to increase adaptation of wheat to climate change. Crop Science. 55. Рр. 23–37. https://doi.org/10.2135/cropsci2014.09.0655 [in Eng.]
Semenov M.A., Stratonovitch P. (2013). Adapting wheat ideotypes for climate change: Accounting for uncertainties in future climate. Theoretical and Applied Climatology. 113. Рр. 215–224. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00704-012-0783-1 [in Eng.]
Singh C., Yadav S., Khare V., Gupta V., Patial M., Sharma A.K. (2025). Wheat drought tolerance: Unveiling a synergistic future with conventional and molecular breeding strategies. Plants. 14(7). Article 1053. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants14071053 [in Eng.]
Tazhibayeva T.L., Abugalieva A.I. (2018). Drought tolerance of wheat introgressive forms // Journal of Geography and Environmental Management. 3(50). Рр. 70–79. [in Eng.]
Trethowan R.M., Crossa J., van Ginkel M., Rajaram S. (2001). Relationships between genotype × environment interaction and genetic correlations of grain yield in spring wheat. Crop Science. 41. Рр. 146–153. https://doi.org/10.2135/cropsci2001.411146x [in Eng.]
Yanchenko V.I., Rozova M.A., Melnik V.M. (2004). Development of highly adaptive varieties of the Siberian ecotype using the gene pool of drought-resistant durum spring wheat. Vestnik regionalnoy seti po vnedreniyu sortov pshenitsy i semenovodstvu // Bulletin of the Regional Network for Wheat Variety Introduction and Seed Produc- tion. — A., 1–2. (7–8):31–36. [in Eng.]
Zykin V.A., Meshkov V.V., Sapega V.A. (1984). Parametry ekologicheskoy plastichnosti selskokhozyaystvennykh rasteniy, ikh raschet i analiz [Parameters of Ecological Flexibility in Agricultural Plants: Calcu- lation and Analysis]. — Novosibirsk. [in Rus.]

Citation Links

[1]Kumarbayeva, M. et al. 2026. FIELD EVALUATION OF KASIB WHEAT GERMPLASM FOR DROUGHT TOLERANCE IN KAZAKHSTAN. Izdenister natigeler. 28, 4 (112) (Aug. 2026), 117–128. DOI:https://doi.org/10.37884/4-2026/09.

(1)Kumarbayeva, M.; Kokhmetova, A.; Keishilov, Z.; Kharipzhanova, A.; Kovalenko, N. FIELD EVALUATION OF KASIB WHEAT GERMPLASM FOR DROUGHT TOLERANCE IN KAZAKHSTAN. Izdenister natigeler 2026, 28 (4 (112), 117-128. https://doi.org/10.37884/4-2026/09.

Kumarbayeva, M., Kokhmetova, A., Keishilov, Z., Kharipzhanova, A., & Kovalenko, N. (2026). FIELD EVALUATION OF KASIB WHEAT GERMPLASM FOR DROUGHT TOLERANCE IN KAZAKHSTAN. Izdenister Natigeler, 28(4 (112), 117-128. https://doi.org/10.37884/4-2026/09

KUMARBAYEVA, Madina; KOKHMETOVA, Alma; KEISHILOV, Zhenis; KHARIPZHANOVA, Aidana; KOVALENKO, Nadezhda. FIELD EVALUATION OF KASIB WHEAT GERMPLASM FOR DROUGHT TOLERANCE IN KAZAKHSTAN. Izdenister natigeler, [S. l.], v. 28, n. 4 (112), p. 117–128, 2026. DOI: 10.37884/4-2026/09. Disponível em: https://journal.kaznaru.edu.kz/index.php/research/article/view/1248. Acesso em: 9 oct. 2026.

Kumarbayeva, Madina, Alma Kokhmetova, Zhenis Keishilov, Aidana Kharipzhanova, and Nadezhda Kovalenko. 2026. “FIELD EVALUATION OF KASIB WHEAT GERMPLASM FOR DROUGHT TOLERANCE IN KAZAKHSTAN”. Izdenister Natigeler 28 (4 (112): 117-28. https://doi.org/10.37884/4-2026/09.

Kumarbayeva, M. (2026) “FIELD EVALUATION OF KASIB WHEAT GERMPLASM FOR DROUGHT TOLERANCE IN KAZAKHSTAN”, Izdenister natigeler, 28(4 (112), pp. 117–128. doi:10.37884/4-2026/09.

[1]M. Kumarbayeva, A. Kokhmetova, Z. Keishilov, A. Kharipzhanova, and N. Kovalenko, “FIELD EVALUATION OF KASIB WHEAT GERMPLASM FOR DROUGHT TOLERANCE IN KAZAKHSTAN”, Izdenister natigeler, vol. 28, no. 4 (112), pp. 117–128, Aug. 2026, doi: 10.37884/4-2026/09.

Kumarbayeva, Madina, et al. “FIELD EVALUATION OF KASIB WHEAT GERMPLASM FOR DROUGHT TOLERANCE IN KAZAKHSTAN”. Izdenister Natigeler, vol. 28, no. 4 (112), Aug. 2026, pp. 117-28, https://doi.org/10.37884/4-2026/09.

Kumarbayeva, Madina, Alma Kokhmetova, Zhenis Keishilov, Aidana Kharipzhanova, and Nadezhda Kovalenko. “FIELD EVALUATION OF KASIB WHEAT GERMPLASM FOR DROUGHT TOLERANCE IN KAZAKHSTAN”. Izdenister natigeler 28, no. 4 (112) (August 29, 2026): 117–128. Accessed October 9, 2026. https://journal.kaznaru.edu.kz/index.php/research/article/view/1248.

1.Kumarbayeva M, Kokhmetova A, Keishilov Z, Kharipzhanova A, Kovalenko N. FIELD EVALUATION OF KASIB WHEAT GERMPLASM FOR DROUGHT TOLERANCE IN KAZAKHSTAN. Izdenister natigeler [Internet]. 2026 Aug. 29 [cited 2026 Oct. 9];28(4 (112):117-28. Available from: https://journal.kaznaru.edu.kz/index.php/research/article/view/1248

1.Kumarbayeva M, Kokhmetova A, Keishilov Z, Kharipzhanova A, Kovalenko N. FIELD EVALUATION OF KASIB WHEAT GERMPLASM FOR DROUGHT TOLERANCE IN KAZAKHSTAN. Izdenister natigeler. 2026;28(4 (112):117-128. doi:10.37884/4-2026/09

[1] Avalbaev A.M. (2024). Drought tolerance of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) plants: Physiological and biochemical indicators under water deficit. FAO AGRIS. https://agris.fao.org/search/en/providers/122613/records/66f3da5bdb9bf9ac61020230 [in Eng.]

[2] Blum A. (2011). Drought resistance—is it really a complex trait? Functional Plant Biology. 38. Рр. 753–757. https://doi.org/10.1071/FP11101 [in Eng.]

[3] CIMMYT. (2016). Kazakhstan–Siberia Network on Spring Wheat Improvement (KASIB): Annual Report. CIMMYT. —Mexico City, Mexico. [in Eng.]

[4] Evdokimov M.G., Yusov V.S., Morgounov A.I., Zelensky Yu.I. (2017). Drought tolerance gene pool in developing adaptive varieties of durum wheat identified in study nurseries under the Kazakhstan-Siberian program. Vavilovskii Zhurnal Genetiki i Selektsii // Vavilov Journal of Genetics and Breeding. 21(5). Рр. 515–522. https://doi.org/10.18699/VJ17.23-o [in Eng.]

[5] FAO. (2023). FAOSTAT Statistical Database. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. —Rome, Italy. [in Eng.]

[6] Fernandez G.C.J. (1992). Effective selection criteria for assessing plant stress tolerance. In: Proceedings of the International Symposium on Adaptation of Vegetables and Other Food Crops in Temperature and Water Stress. AVRDC. — Tainan, Taiwan. Рр. 257–270. [in Eng.]

[7] Fischer R.A., Maurer R. (1978). Drought resistance in spring wheat cultivars. I. Grain yield responses // Australian Journal of Agricultural Research. 29. Рр. 897–912. https://doi.org/10.1071/AR9780897 [in Eng.]

[8] IPCC. (2021). Climate Change 2021: The Physical Science Basis. Contribution of Working Group I to the Sixth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Cambridge University Press. — Cambridge, UK. [in Eng.]

[9] Ingram J., Bartels D. (1996). The molecular basis of dehydration tolerance in plants. Annual Review of Plant Physiology and Plant Molecular Biology. 47(1). Рр. 377–403. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.arplant.47.1.377 [in Eng.]

[10] Kalybekova Zh.T., Tsygankov V.I., Zuev E.V., Novikova L.Yu. (2022). Using drought tolerance indices in studying a collection of spring soft wheat in the Aktobe region. Transactions on Applied Botany, Genetics and Breeding. 183(3). Рр. 85–95. https://doi.org/10.30901/2227-8834-2022-3-85-95 [in Rus.]

[11] Kumarbaeva M., Kokhmetova A., Keishilov Zh., Bolatbekova A., Bakhytuly K., Kovalenko N. (2025). Identification of new sources of wheat resistance to various diseases // Іzdenіster, nәtizheler – Issledovaniya, rezul’taty. — A. No. 3. Pр. 314–324. https://doi.org/10.37884/3-2025/30 [in Eng]

[12] Malysheva A.A., Kokhmetova A.M., Kumarbaeva M.T., Kejshilov Zh.S., Dubekova S. (2023). Molekulyarno-geneticheskij skrining Lr-genov ustojchivosti u obraztsov myagkoj yarovoj pshenitsy v usloviyakh yugo-vostoka Kazakhstana // Іzdenіster, nәtizheler – Issledovaniya, rezul’taty. — A. №3 (99). Рр. 92–99. https://doi.org/10.37884/1-2023/08 [in Rus]

[13] McIntosh R.A., Wellings C.R., Park R.F. (1995). Wheat Rusts: An Atlas of Resistance Genes. Dordrecht: Kluwer Academic Publishers. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-0083-0 [in Eng]

[14] Morgounov A.I. (2003). Results and potential of the collaboration in the Kazakhstan-Siberian wheat breeding network. Vestnik regionalnoy seti po vnedreniyu sortov pshenitsy i semenovodstvu // Bulletin of the Regional Network for Wheat Variety Introduction and Seed Production. 1(4). Рр. 7–15. [in Eng.]

[15] Lobell D.B., Schlenker W., Costa-Roberts J. (2011). Climate trends and global crop production since 1980. Science. 333. Рр. 616–620. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1204531 [in Eng.]

[16] Nyaupane S. et al. (2024). Drought stress effect, tolerance, and management in wheat. Cogent Food & Agriculture. 10. Article 2296094. https://doi.org/10.1080/23311932.2023.2296094 [in Eng.]

[17] Reynolds M., Tattaris M., Cossani C.M., Ellis M., Yamaguchi-Shinozaki K., Pierre C.S. (2015). Exploring genetic resources to increase adaptation of wheat to climate change. Crop Science. 55. Рр. 23–37. https://doi.org/10.2135/cropsci2014.09.0655 [in Eng.]

[18] Semenov M.A., Stratonovitch P. (2013). Adapting wheat ideotypes for climate change: Accounting for uncertainties in future climate. Theoretical and Applied Climatology. 113. Рр. 215–224. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00704-012-0783-1 [in Eng.]

[19] Singh C., Yadav S., Khare V., Gupta V., Patial M., Sharma A.K. (2025). Wheat drought tolerance: Unveiling a synergistic future with conventional and molecular breeding strategies. Plants. 14(7). Article 1053. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants14071053 [in Eng.]

[20] Tazhibayeva T.L., Abugalieva A.I. (2018). Drought tolerance of wheat introgressive forms // Journal of Geography and Environmental Management. 3(50). Рр. 70–79. [in Eng.]

[21] Trethowan R.M., Crossa J., van Ginkel M., Rajaram S. (2001). Relationships between genotype × environment interaction and genetic correlations of grain yield in spring wheat. Crop Science. 41. Рр. 146–153. https://doi.org/10.2135/cropsci2001.411146x [in Eng.]

[22] Yanchenko V.I., Rozova M.A., Melnik V.M. (2004). Development of highly adaptive varieties of the Siberian ecotype using the gene pool of drought-resistant durum spring wheat. Vestnik regionalnoy seti po vnedreniyu sortov pshenitsy i semenovodstvu // Bulletin of the Regional Network for Wheat Variety Introduction and Seed Produc- tion. — A., 1–2. (7–8):31–36. [in Eng.]

[23] Zykin V.A., Meshkov V.V., Sapega V.A. (1984). Parametry ekologicheskoy plastichnosti selskokhozyaystvennykh rasteniy, ikh raschet i analiz [Parameters of Ecological Flexibility in Agricultural Plants: Calcu- lation and Analysis]. — Novosibirsk. [in Rus.]