• Preliminary report on yield performance of commercial cultivars by the end of year 2 and an expanded report at the end of year 3.
• Release of at least one new germplasm by the end of year 3.
• Quantification of the impact of the slow-wilting trait on seed yield under stress in year 3.
• Quantification of the impact of drought and the slow-wilting trait on seed protein content under stress by the end of year 3.
• Completion of a GWAS study on slow wilting by year 3.
• Backcrossing at least one generation of QTLs into elite varieties using MAS in year 3.
• Quantification of phenotypic data for QTL mapping for slow-wilting by the end of year 3.
• Complete the survey of drought tolerant breeding stock for intrinsic water-use efficiency and report results by the end of year 3. Identify high- and low- intrinsic water-use efficiency progeny from Fiskeby III by the end of year 3.
• Report on the drought threshold for slow-wilting trait advantage by the end of year 3.
• Report on the relations between photosynthesis, leaf water potential, and slow wilting by the end of year 3.