Stem carbohydrate dynamics during post anthesis period in diverse wheat genotypes under different environments

The contribution of stem water soluble carbohydrates (SWSCs) to grain biomass of wheat ranges from 10 to 20% under irrigated condition and 40 to 60% under stresses such as terminal heat and drought. Genetic variation in SWSC and its mobilization can be useful to increase the grain yield of wheat under harsh environments. Hence, a set of 16 genotypes varying in spike morphology and grain yield was grown in field under timely sown, late sown and terminal drought stress conditions. The anthrone method was used to measure the SWSC concentration in the dried peduncle and penultimate internodes in three replicates at 3 growth stages starting from anthesis. The effect of delay in sowing and terminal drought on the SWSC concentration was significant from anthesis to 14 days after anthesis. Significant genetic variation was observed in the rate of post anthesis change in SWSC during the early grain filling period under the three conditions which partially contributed to the variation in grain yield per spike among the genotypes. Due to sterile florets and/or shorter grain filling duration, all the genotypes did not have a correlation between grain weight per spike and rate of decrease of SWSCs. Thus, our experiments reconfirm the significance of SWSC in present cultivars of wheat and also the scope for exploiting the genetic variation in this trait

Comparative Analysis of Canopy Cooling in Wheat under High Temperature and Drought Stress

The size and the weight of wheat grains vary across the length of each spike (Triticum aestivum L.). High temperature and water scarcity often reduce the single grain weight, and this reduction also varies across the spike length. Plants tend to cope with high temperature and drought stress through inherent mechanisms such ascanopy cooling through transpiration, which can contribute to yield stability. The effect of canopy cooling on the average grain weight at different positions in spike is still unknown. In this study, we planned to assess the role of canopy temperature, yield-related traits, and spike shape in final grain weight. For two years (2017–2018 and 2018–2019), fifteen diverse genotypes released for cultivation in different environmental conditions were grown in the field. They were examined for canopy temperature, spikelets spike−1, grain number spike−1, grain yield spike−1, and grain weight of the spike’s basal, median, and distal regions. The Pearson correlation coefficient (r) was obtained for all pair-wise combinations of traits under different treatments and spike shapes. The results indicated that cooler canopy is correlated to grain weight in normal spike shape at all three positions within the spike irrespective of stress. The advantage of the cooler canopy in improving grain-filling at basal, median, and distal regions was more conspicuous in the high temperature stress conditions compared to non-stressed and drought conditions

Comparative Analysis of Canopy Cooling in Wheat under High Temperature and Drought Stress

The size and the weight of wheat grains vary across the length of each spike (Triticum aestivum L.). High temperature and water scarcity often reduce the single grain weight, and this reduction also varies across the spike length. Plants tend to cope with high temperature and drought stress through inherent mechanisms such ascanopy cooling through transpiration, which can contribute to yield stability. The effect of canopy cooling on the average grain weight at different positions in spike is still unknown. In this study, we planned to assess the role of canopy temperature, yield-related traits, and spike shape in final grain weight. For two years (2017–2018 and 2018–2019), fifteen diverse genotypes released for cultivation in different environmental conditions were grown in the field. They were examined for canopy temperature, spikelets spike−1, grain number spike−1, grain yield spike−1, and grain weight of the spike’s basal, median, and distal regions. The Pearson correlation coefficient (r) was obtained for all pair-wise combinations of traits under different treatments and spike shapes. The results indicated that cooler canopy is correlated to grain weight in normal spike shape at all three positions within the spike irrespective of stress. The advantage of the cooler canopy in improving grain-filling at basal, median, and distal regions was more conspicuous in the high temperature stress conditions compared to non-stressed and drought conditions