PJB-2023-317
STUDIES ON RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN COLEOPTILE LENGTH AND OTHER GROWTH ATTRIBUTES OF GENETICALLY DIVERSE WHEAT GENOTYPES TO DIFFERENT MOISTURE LEVELS
Umar Khitab Saddozai
Abstract
Selection of adoptable germplasm along with to adequate soil moisture availability is key factor for maximizing plant growth and yield, particularly in rainfed environment. Keeping the impact of huge rainfed belt of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, forty genotypes of wheat which include four local landraces having diverse genetic makeup were collected from different agro-ecological zones of Pakistan and tested in the laboratory for coleoptile, shoot and root length. It was observed that coleoptile length had positive correlation with root length (R2 = 0.1874 P<0.05) and shoot length (R2 = 0.4455 P<0.05). A positive and significant correlation (R2 = 0.5285 P<0.05) was noted between root and shoot length as well. The coleoptile length was maximum in wheat variety NIFA-Insaf while minimum in variety Faislabad-2008. Thereafter five different moisture levels (100%, 80%, 60%, 40% & 20% of total field capacity [TFC]) on two wheat genotypes (“NIFA-Insaf” and “Faisalabad-2008” bearing long and short coleoptile, respectively observed from laboratory experiment) were tested in field to examine the effectiveness of multiple moisture levels. These moisture levels at various capacities (%) were maintained in pots by applying measured quantity of water, when it reached below their respective pre-determined lower limits of specific moisture range during complete growth time. Various growth and yield parameters were significantly affected, both by wheat genotypes and moisture levels. At availability of 100% soil moisture boosted up plant growth and development, which ultimately caused different traits to perform at their maximum capacities. The study showed maximum grain yield of 5554.4 & 5378.2 kg ha-1 for year-1st and year-2nd, respectively by interactive combination of NIFA-Insaf at 100% TFC. Likewise, the use of 80% TFC also gave better results for NIFA-Insaf, which might be due to better utilization of moisture and other resources made available because of longer coleoptile. As regards to genotypes ‘Faisalabad-2008’ (having shorter coleoptile) resulted better were recorded when 100% moisture was available, but a remarkable yield reduction was observed with decrease in irrigation levels. However, under moisture reduced environments, NIFA-Insaf performed better than Faisalabad-2008.
Keywords: Germplasm, yield, rainfed environment, local landraces.
To Cite this article:
Download
