A factorial experiment was performed to evaluate whether wild and primitive Aegilops and Triticum species may be used in wheat breeding as donors of an improved water use efficiency (WUE) and/or tolerance to nutrient shortage. Seventeen lines representative for Aegilops and Triticum species of different origin, ploidy level and genomic structure were compared with three local cultivars of hexaploid wheat T. aestivum. The genotypes were grown till maturity in experimental pots (9 dm3) under high and reduced NPK nutrition. There was a broad genetic variation in the response to nutrient shortage and efficiency of water use in the vegetative and grain mass formation. The variation was dependent upon species, ploidy level and genome present. Results suggest that a search for enhanced tolerance and novel variation in WUE among wild or primitive wheats may be essential for wheat breeders. The tetraploids T. carthlicum, T. dicoccoid.es and T. timopheevii and the hexaploid T. sphaerococcum were found to be the most promising potential sources of stress tolerance. However, only the primitive T. sphaerococcum appeared to be a valuable donor of improved WUE. Despite a high operative heritability of WUE, testing till plant maturity over diverse levels of soil nutrient status would rather be necessary for a precise discrimination of the most efficient genotypes as indicated by the genotype-stage and genotype-nutrition interactions.