Stress during the maturing process results in about a 10 percent lower yield. Moderate stress during the early vegetative period has essentially no effect on yield. Drought stress on winter wheat production during early spring regrowth results in heading approximately seven to 10 days prematurely. Early stress results in development of more heads than usual. However, many of the heads fail to produce grain.
Winter wheat is most sensitive to drought stress during shooting and booting.
It is essential to avoid even slight water stress at jointing. Withholding water to increase tillering may lead to premature heading and grain maturity. High-quality potato yields can be achieved only by maintaining a uniformly high level of available water throughout the crop season. Potato production is directly related to crop water use between emergence and defoliation. Potatoes are not susceptible to severe yield reductions from short periods of moderate stress during any single period of production.