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DIFFERENCES IN AGRONOMIC AND PHYSIOLOGICAL PERFORMANCE OF VARIOUS WHEAT GENOTYPES GROWN UNDER SALINE CONDITIONS

MUHAMMAD AFZAAL, SHAFQAT FAROOQ, MUHAMMAD AKRAM, FARAH.  NAZ, RUBINA ARSHAD AND ASGHARI BANO¹

Abstract: Nine wheat genotypes having introgression from chromosome 1D of Aegilops tauschii were studied under control (non-stress) and salt stress conditions. The objective was to detect variation in wheat genotypes against salt stress using physiological parameters such as transpiration rate, stomatal conductance, net CO₂ assimilation rate, grain yield plant^-1 and green biomass production and CO₂ fixation. Wheat Introgression Line (WIL) 1 and 2 showed highly significant correlation between stomatal conductance and transpiration rate as compared to all other genotypes in control and salinity. Genotype 2 and 4 showed significant correlation between transpiration rate and net photosynthesis in plants growing under controlled condition. Similarly yield and biomass production are strongly correlated in control and treated conditions in WILs 5, 6, 7. It is inferred that the tested genotypes had significant differences regarding the above mentioned parameters. It appeared that stomatal conductance, net photosynthesis and transpiration are directly and indirectly correlated with grain yield and biomass. The introgression lines tested in the present study showed plants with different segments of ID chromosome that promote these parameters differentially under saline conditions and can help identify  chromosomal segments that can be used for improvement of wheat plants particularly for these parameters.

Nuclear Institute for Agriculture and Biology (NIAB), P.O. Box 128, Jhang Road, Faisalabad
¹Department of Plant Sciences, Quaid-e-Azam University, Islamabad
Corresponding Author: afzaalshahidhussain@yahoo.com; Fax: 92-41-2654213