Water Stress Effects on Winter and Spring Leaves Anatomy of Different Wheat (Triticumaestivum L.) Genotypes

Water stress effects on winter and spring leaves anatomy were investigated in experiments conducted at the experimental field of SB University of Kerman using five wheat cultivars.Xylem and phloem elements diameter and mesophyll, bundle sheath and epidermal cells area were measured in transverse sections prepared from middle parts of the leaves. Results showed that significant difference exists among genotypes in terms of anatomical characteristic.Results alsoshowed that water stress changes the diameter and the surface area of the cells. However, the changes were not the same in winter and spring leaves. The changes in some cases such as xylem vessels diameter were considerable.For example, in cultivars Azar2 and Azadi, winter leaves had bigger xylem vessels under water stress compared to the normal condition while in spring leaves the xylem diameter was smaller under the same condition.