Characterization of bread wheat genotypes under drought stress at seedling stage

Field experiment was conducted to study the effect of water stress on yield and yield traits of durum wheat and bread wheat genotypes. Water stress caused significant reduction in plant height (PH), peduncle length (PL), spike number/m2(SN), spike length (SL), spike width (SW), spikelets number/spike (SNS), spike mass (SM), grain number/spike (GNS), grain mass/spike (GMS), biological yield (BY), thousand kernel mass (TKM), grain yield (GY) and harvest index (HI). Wheat traits such as SN, SM, BY, TKM, GY were more vulnerable to drought stress. Positive significant correlation of GY with SN, BY and HI under rain-fed condition was found. Genotypes of durum wheat were more sensitive to drought than that bread wheat genotypes. The significant and positive correlation of GY with Stress Tolerance Index (STI), Mean Productivity (MP) and Geometric Mean Productivity (GMP) indicated that these indices were more effective in identifying high yielding, drought tolerance genotypes.

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Response of contrasting bread wheat genotypes for heat and drought stress tolerance for rhizospheric soil properties

Journal of Environmental Biology ◽

10.22438/jeb/42/5/mrn-1777 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 42 (5) ◽

pp. 1298-1306

Author(s):

O.P. Ahlawat ◽

◽

T. Chugh ◽

K. Venkatesh ◽

R. Tiwari ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Drought Stress ◽

Bread Wheat ◽

Chemical Properties ◽

Rhizospheric Soil ◽

Available Nitrogen ◽

Wheat Varieties ◽

Wheat Genotypes ◽

Stages Of Growth ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Tolerant Genotype

Aim: The study aimed at investigating differential response of contrasting bread wheat genotypes for heat and drought stress towards changes in chemical and microbial components of rhizospheric soil for developing climate resilient wheat varieties. Methodology: Rhizospheric soils were studied for changes in pH, electrical conductivity, cations, anions, micro-elements, major-elements, organic carbon and organic matter, and plant growth promoting rhizobacteria(PGPRs) abundance at booting and anthesis stages of growth in four contrasting genotypes during 2017-18 and 2018-19 crop seasons Results: The contrasting genotypes (HD2967 and WH730) for heat tolerance exhibited significant interaction between genotype and stage of growth for Na+, K+ and nitrogen, while genotypes (HUW468 and C306) for drought tolerance exhibited it for available nitrogen only. Significant difference for Ca2+, Mg2+, iron, manganese, nitrogen and potassium levels were recorded in drought stress related genotypes at two stages of growth. The heat tolerant genotype showed 2.54 and 10.67 folds enhancement in population of N2 fixing and spore forming bacteria at anthesis compared to sensitive genotypes, while drought tolerant genotype showed 1.51, 1.07 and 6.26 folds in P-solubilizing, N2 fixing and general bacterial abundance. Interpretation: Contrasting genotypes for heat and drought stresses responded differently for chemical properties and abundance of PGPRs in rhizospheric soils.

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