Abstract <p>The study was conducted in 2023-2024 in the southern forest-steppe of the Republic of Bashkortostan to assess the potential of broad-eared wheatgrass as a drought-resistant forage crop for the southern forest-steppe of the Republic of Bashkortostan. To achieve this goal, an analysis of the physiological and biochemical characteristics and productive qualities of the crop under moisture deficiency conditions was performed. The objects of the study were the Aviator and Chishminsky shirokokolosy 6 broad-eared wheatgrass varieties. The soil was heavy loamy chernozem in mechanical composition. The 2023 and 2024 growing seasons were characterised by dry conditions. In 2023, 68.6% of the norm fell, in 2024—44.2%, in both years the air temperature was 5.0°C higher than the long-term average. Drought resistance was assessed based on the sprout length at a pre-irrigation moisture content of 30% of the full field capacity (FFC), malondialdehyde (MDA) content, catalase and peroxidase activity, foliage, plant height, green mass yield, dry matter and seeds. The Aviator variety demonstrated higher drought resistance, as evidenced by a smaller reduction in sprout length at 30% FFC (5.4% versus 10.5% for the Chishminskiy shirokokolosy 6 variety) and a lower malondialdehyde content (by 3.1%). With moisture deficiency, a significant increase in catalase and peroxidase activity was observed in plants of both varieties. The Aviator variety had good foliage (42.0%) and a greater plant height (93.7 cm). The highest yield of green mass (94 c/ha), dry matter (46.5 c/ha) and seeds (3.7 c/ha) was observed in the Aviator variety, which had higher values of this indicator than the Chishminsky shirokokolosy 6 variety, respectively by 23.3, 12.4 and 0.7 c/ha. The obtained results allow us to recommend a more drought-resistant variety of broad-eared wheatgrass Aviator for cultivation in the southern forest-steppe of the Republic of Bashkortostan.</p>