The drought resistance of 16 hybrid forms of Chaenomeles was determined. The average field score ranged from 3.8 to 5 points, the total water content in the leaves was within 53.2–64 % and the water deficit was 7.6–25 %. An assessment of the water-holding capacity revealed that by the end of the first hour of forced dehydration, the leaves of the studied samples lost on average 14–27.6 % of water, and after 3 hours, losses amounted to 31.4–53.7 %, reaching sub-lethal values in some of them. The proportion of leaves that restored turgor varied widely: from 21.2 to 93.3 %. In 7 hybrids, 62.5–79.2 % of leaf tissue was restored. The best indicators of the whole complex of drought resistance parameters were shown by the hybrids НП5-16/3, НП5-13/4, НП5-5/1, НП5-3/1, recommended for further testing.
Komar-Tyomnaya L.D.
