Abstract
The aim of the experiments was to monitor the immediate impact of water deficit on the gas exchange and energy content in selected genotypes of maize. A broader genotype set of maize types was selected as the experimental material (5 in-bred parental lines and their cross-breeds).
The maize plants were cultivated under controlled conditions in a climate box - the control group and the stressed group. The obtained results show that the stressed plants provably reduced the rate of photosynthesis, transpiration rate and energy content in their roots and above-ground biomass in comparison with the control plants.
The influence of genotypes on the gas exchange and the content of substances rich in energy, accumulated in the individual plant organs, was proved. Therefore, it can be stated that the method of measurement of gas exchange and combustion calorimetry can be used as one of the indirect selective methods usable in plant breeding.