With the growing aridity of the climate on the Don, it became necessary to improve the methodology for conducting the breeding of spring durum wheat. The main method of obtaining the source material remains intraspecific step hybridization. Crossings were performed between genetically distant forms, differing in origin and required traits and properties. The use of chemical mutagenesis was a productive way to change the heredity of genotypes in terms of drought tolerance. When breeding for productivity, both in dry years of research and in favorable years, the most objective markers were identified — the size of the aerial mass, the mass of grain per plant, spike, and harvest index. The magnitude of the correlation coefficients between the yield per unit area and the elements of its structure is established. It was most closely associated with them in dry years, while in wet years it decreased. Power the correlation of the characteristics of the pair - the grain yield per square meter - the aboveground biomass averaged r = 0.73, and in dry years it was higher (0.91) than in favorable ones (0.61 - 0.70) , between the harvest and the harvest index - r = 0.81 (on average). In dry years, the correlation coefficient increased to 0.92. Research data confirms the greatest importance of the mass of grain from one ear and the plant in the formation of grain yield per unit area in both dry and wet years. In dry years, the correlation coefficient between yield and grain mass per plant was on average r = 0.80; in favorable years, r = 0.69. The relationship between yield and grain mass from the ear was greater — r = 0.84 and r = 0.82, respectively. Consequently, the breeding significance of the aboveground mass and the productivity of the ear, as a criterion for the selection of the crop, especially increases in the dry years. They were basic in the selection.