Data have been obtained that show the effect of drought on growth itself and how this reduction in growth may be a result of specific changes in total protein production, nucleic acid metabolism and on functional activity of a fraction of nucleic acids. While the drought treatments decreased total protein by only 40 percent, growth was reduced 80 percent. These data suggested that the synthesis of growth-dependent proteins was being hindered. Although total nucleic acid production was not reduced by the lack of water, the function of the nucleic acid fraction responsible for delivering the genetic information to the process of protein synthesis was altered. This fraction of nucleic acid was not, under water-stress conditions, getting attached to ribosomes. This malfunction prevented the synthesis of a proline-rich protein which is probably required for cell wall production during growth. This information provides a specific selection criterion and should aid in the development of plants and perhaps other organisms that can withstand stress from drought. (Author)