Abstract
The problem of drought is acute in a large area of Russia, which will not decrease in the coming decades, but will grow. The most important measures to combat drought are the selection of drought- and heat-resistant crops and the creation of varieties for various ecological and geographical zones of Russia based on the widespread use of the World Collections of Agricultural Plants. The results of the study of the gene pool of winter wheat during severe atmospheric drought, which manifested itself twice in 50 years of studying genetic resources from different countries in 1972 and 2010, are presented. The primary tasks were the mobilization of new forms of drought-resistant plants from the arid zones of Russia, as well as from abroad, the expansion of research on the identification of genetic sources and donors of drought resistance, the creation and accelerated introduction into agricultural production of new drought-resistant varieties and hybrids of winter wheat.