Effects of Water Stress on Morpho-Phenological Changes in Wheat Genotypes

Abstract

The experiment was conducted with eleven wheat genotyps at the research field of Agronomy Department of the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University from November 2011 to March 2012 to know the morphophenological changes in wheat and to identify water stress tolerant wheat genotypes. The experiment was carried out in a split-plot design comprising two water regimes in main plot and eleven wheat genotypes (BARI Wheat 25, BARI Wheat 26, Sourav, BAW 1157, BAW 1158, BAW 1159, BAW 1161, BAW 1165, BAW 1167, BAW 1169 and BAW 1170) were placed randomly in sub-plot with three replications. Water deficit condition caused an overall reduction in morphological and phenological attributes. The maximum reduction in plant height, peduncle length, flag leaf length and flag leaf area was by 25, 39, 27 and 57% in the genotypes BAW 1167, BAW 1167, BAW 1157 and BAW 1170, respectively under water deficit condition. The highest reduction in root volume and root dry weight was recorded in the genotype BAW 1167, while the lowest in BARI Wheat 26 and BAW 1169. The highest decrease in days to heading, days to physiological maturity and grain filling duration was noted in BAW 1167 and the lowest in BAW 1169, Sourav and BARI Wheat 26. The maximum number of days for grain filling was recorded in the genotype BARI Wheat 26, Sourav and BAW 1169, while the minimum in BAW 1167. From this experiment, it was concluded that the genotypes BARI Wheat 26 and BAW 1169 are water deficit tolerant and BAW 1167 is susceptible.