Morpho-physiological attributes of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) genotypes as influenced by osmo-protectants and antioxidants under terminal heat stress

Abstract

Heat and drought cause yield reduction in wheat when there is rise in temperature during reproductive phase. The experiment was conducted at the field experimental area of Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana. The treatment of (Salicylic acid @ 50 µg ml-1& 75 µg ml-1, KNO3 @ 0.5 & 1.0 % and ZnSO4.7H2O @ 0.5 & 1.0%) and treatment of (Ascorbic acid @ 100 µg ml-1 & 200 µg ml-1 and Arginine @ 1.0 mM & 2.0 mM) was given excluding control and water treatment to three varieties namely PBW 550, PBW 621 and WH 1105 in a randomized block design.Heat stress adversely affects the morphophysiological traits viz., emergence, canopy temperature, plant height and stomatal distribution. Foliar spray of osmo-protectants and antioxidants was done at anthesis and 10 days after anthesis stage to ameliorate terminal heat stress in wheat