Foliar Application of Glycine Betaine and Cytokinins Regulates Photosynthetic Attributes and Final Biological Yield in Wheat Under Drought Stress
Aparjot Kaur *
Department of Botany, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana-141004, Punjab, India.
S. K. Thind
Department of Botany, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana-141004, Punjab, India.
Gurwinder Singh
Department of Botany, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana-141004, Punjab, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Drought stress creates numerous of physiological and biochemical changes in plant that affects its life cycle and final production. The present trial was intended to inspect the effect of foliar application of cytokinins like benzyl adenine (BA) and kinetin (Kn) in combination with osmoprotectants like Glycine betaine (GB) at two different stages i.e. vegetative stage (VS) and flag leaf stage (FLS) on various photosynthetic parameters and final biological yield of drought-stressed wheat genotypes. The study was carried out on the basis of a completely random block design (CRBD) with 6 treatments and 3 replications. Under drought stress, a significant decreased net leaf photosynthetic rate (Pn) and Intercellular CO2 concentration has been observed. Foliar application of both cytokinins along with GB had an ameliorative effect on photosynthetic rate and intercellular CO2. A significant increase was recorded in total chlorophyll content and carotenoid content of wheat genotypes with exogenous application of GB along with Kn and BA. Exogenous application of GB @ 100mM along with Kn @ 40mg/L was observed surplus effective in the amelioration of the negative impact of drought stress in all studied genotypes of wheat.
Keywords: Biological yield, cytokinins, glycine betaine, net photosynthetic rate, water deficit