Abstract:
The drought stress intensity associated with climatic changes alters the plant physiology and leads to minute growth and crop yields around the globe. The foliar application of proline, manganese (Mn) and rice straw extract (RSE) can be proven as an effective strategy to counter drought stress and its deleterious effects. The literature about the collaborative role of Proline, Mn, and RSE as foliar spray application under drought stress is silent to this date. The objective of this study was to induce tolerance against drought stress in order to attain maximum growth and yield in wheat varieties (Anaj-17 and MH-2021) under water deficit stress with foliar applications of proline, Mn, and RSE. A field experiment was conducted to disclose protective role of these substances on two wheat varieties (Anaj-2017 and MH-2021) against water stress. Two irrigation levels, i.e., control (normal irrigation) and water stress (water deficit irrigation), and 5 levels of Mn, proline and RSE i.e., control (water spray), Mn (0.1%), proline (1.0%), RSE (10%), and mixture (Mn + proline + RSE) in a 1:1:1 ratio were applied. Drought stress significantly (P = 0.001) decreased the chlorophyll pigments (Chlorophyll a, b and carotenoid), growth (root and shoot length), biomass (root and shoot fresh and dry weight), and yield characters (grain yield/plant and 100 grain weight). A significant increase in enzymatic antioxidants; catalase (CAT), peroxidase (POD), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and non-enzymatic antioxidants (anthocyanin, proline, free amino acids, and phenolics) was recorded under drought stress and foliar spray treatments. The foliar application of these substances also reduced the drought driven overproduction of lipid peroxidation (MDA), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). The results suggested that Anaj-17 variety is more tolerant to water deficit stress than MH-21 variety, while combined treatment (proline + Mn + RSE) was found to be the most effective among all applications.
Page(s):
157-157
DOI:
DOI not available
Published:
Journal: Abstract Book on Second International Conference on Recent Approaches in Plant Sciences (RAPS-23) 4-5 May 2023 , Volume: 0, Issue: 0, Year: 2023