A farmer wants to grow wheat with better baking quality and resistance to drought. Which two characteristics should be targeted in variety improvement?

The correct option is Improved quality and abiotic resistance.

To understand why this is the correct choice, let us break down the farmer's requirements for variety improvement as described in the question:
1. Better baking quality: This refers to improving the intrinsic properties of the crop (such as gluten content and protein quality in wheat) that make it more suitable for baking. In crop improvement terms, this falls directly under improved quality.
2. Resistance to drought: Drought is a non-living environmental factor that adversely affects crop growth and yield. Stress factors caused by non-living components of the ecosystem, such as drought, salinity, heat, cold, and frost, are classified as abiotic stresses. Therefore, developing resistance to drought is referred to as abiotic resistance (as opposed to biotic resistance, which refers to resistance against living organisms like pests, insects, and diseases).

Thus, by targeting improved quality and abiotic resistance, the farmer will successfully obtain a wheat variety that meets the goals of better baking quality and drought resistance.