Purpose. Screening drought tolerance of five varieties millet (ʻOmriyaneʼ, ʻKharkivske 57ʼ, ʻKonstantinovskeʼ, ʻIR 5ʼ, ʻSlobozhanskeʼ) using as osmotic stress PEG 6000.

Methods. Water stress was applied through six concentrations of PEG (6000 MW) (0.0% (control), 11.5%, 15.3%, 19.6%, 23.5% and 28.9%), with osmotic stress 0,0 (control) -1.9, -3.1, -4.8, -6.6 and -9.7 bars.

Results. Results of this study revealed that water stress had significant negatively effects on seed germination, root and shoot system of millet on the 3^d and the 6^th days. Genotypes had significant differenced to water limited and new varieties with high level resistance to water stress can be created in breeding for drought resistance. Osmotic stress strongly suppressed seed germination of millet at a -3.1 bars (46.8%) and -4.8 bars (28.66%) on the 3^d day but on the 6^th day, the number of germinated seeds increased 92.8%, 84.0% respectively. The minimum germination capacity was observed in variety Omriyane at -3.1, -4.8, -6.6 bars. ʻIR 5ʼ, ʻKonstantinovskeʼ and ʻKharkivske 57ʼ showed higher germination potential at the different water stress. A decrease in root elongation in all genotypes compared to control was observed in -1.9 bars osmotic stress and then at -3.1 and -4.8 bars of osmotic stress the root length had the same value from 6,6 mm to 13.5 mm on the 3^d day and from 25.3 mm to 34.7 mm on the 6^th day. Variety ʻSlobozhanskeʼ showed higher mean root length at -3.1 and -4.8 bars of water stress induced by PEG on the 3^d day (8,7 mm-12,5 mm) and on the 6^th day (35.7 mm–32.3 mm). It is not observed shoot of millet at -9.7 bars on the 3^d and on the 6^th days. ʻKharkivske 57ʼ, ʻIR 5ʼ, ʻSlobozhanskeʼ showed higher individual shoot length of 23.1 mm, 25.5 mm, 25.6 mm, respectively at -4.8 bars of PEG 6000 on the 6^th day. At -6.6 bars of osmotic stress ʻKonstantinоvskeʼ and ʻSlobozhanskeʼ had lowest root length/shoot length ratio 2.58 and 2.61, respectively. Variety ʻOmriyaneʼ (3.54) and ʻIR 5ʼ (3.31) had maximum deviation from one.

Conclusions. Genotypes ʻKonstantinоvskeʼ and ʻSlobozhanskeʼ revealed as results of this study in breeding for drought resistance which are showed highest level resistance to water limiting. Variety ʻIR 5ʼ, ʻKonstantinovskeʼ and ʻKharkivske 57ʼ were characterized highest seed germination percentage at the different water stress.