Effect of Heat Stress on Inter-relationship of Physiological and Biochemical Traits with Grain Yield in Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

Abstract

Heat stress, particularly the stress appears at the time of flowering to grain filling stages causing severe yield loss in wheat. Heat tolerance is complex phenomena that include adjustment in morphological, physiological and biochemical traits of the crop. Present investigation was carried out to understand the effect of terminal heat stress on different traits of wheat. The experiment was conducted in three dates of sowing as timely sown, late sown and very late sown to expose the crop to heat stress at later stages of the crop growth. Significant genetic variations for all the traits evaluated under three conditions indicated the presence of variability for the traits. Trait association analysis revealed that flag leaf chlorophyll content and MSI at seedling stage; MDA at reproductive stage had direct relationship with grain yield. While under very late sown condition MDA and RWC at seedling stages were found to be highly correlated with grain yield. It indicates that MDA, RWC at seedling stage and days to booting, days to milking plays important role in very late sown condition that can be used as selection criteria in breeding programme.