Screening of different Iranian ecotypes of cannabis under water deficit stress

In order to evaluate the tolerance to water deficit stress of 47 different ecotypes of Iranian cannabis (Cannabis saliva L.), a split plot experiment based on a randomized complete block design with two replications was conducted at the Research Station of the University of Tehran in 2015. Ecotypes were considered as the minor factor and water deficit stress was considered as the major factor. There were included 100% (as the control) and 50% evapotranspiration of Etc. Shrubs were harvested after the end of the flowering period of male and female plants. Dry weight was measured. The water use efficiency, yield stability index, stress tolerance index, geometric mean productivity, stress susceptibility index, tolerance index, and mean productivity indices were obtained through dry matter yield under stress and normal conditions. The results showed that, in general, water deficit stress reduced dry matter production. A high correlation was observed between dry matter yield and drought tolerance indices. Geometric mean productivity, stress tolerance index, and mean productivity indices, which had high positive correlations with yield of genotype in stress environments and yield of genotype in nonstress environments, were good indicators of isolating and distinguishing ecotypes in terms of their reaction to water deficit. Qzv-02, Sav-01, Ney-01, Rash-01, and Bsh-01 ecotypes had the highest water use efficiency and the highest yield under water deficit stress.