African Journal of
Agricultural Research

  • Abbreviation: Afr. J. Agric. Res.
  • Language: English
  • ISSN: 1991-637X
  • DOI: 10.5897/AJAR
  • Start Year: 2006
  • Published Articles: 6900

Full Length Research Paper

Effect of end-season drought stress on chlorophyll fluorescence and content of antioxidant enzyme superoxide dismutase enzyme (SOD) in susceptible and tolerant genotypes of durum wheat

Majid Khayatnezhad*1, Mohammad Zaeifizadeh2 and Roza Gholamin1  
  1Young Researchers Club, Ardabil branch, Islamic Azad University, Ardabil, Iran. 2Department of plant breeding and agronomy, Ardabil branch, Islamic Azad University, Ardabil. Iran.  
Email: [email protected]

  •  Accepted: 05 July 2011
  •  Published: 12 December 2011

Abstract

 

This experiment was conducted with 12 genotypes of durum wheat originating from Iran and Azerbaijan Republic in both stressed and non-stressed conditions in Agricultural Research Station, Islamic Azad University of Ardabil in a randomized complete blocks design with 4 replications and in two years, 2008 to 2009 and 2009 to 2010 agricultural years. In this experiment, in addition to physiological traits, traits like leaf chlorophyll content, initial fluorescence (F0), maximum fluorescence (FM), variable fluorescence (FV), efficiency potential (FV/FM) and the amount of superoxide dismutase enzyme (SOD) had been measured. The results showed that stress tolerant varieties had higher chlorophyll content and it is increased by stress operations of amount of superoxide dismutase enzyme in varieties to overwhelming stress. In this study, genotypes 8, 10 and 11 had stress tolerance, chlorophyll fluorescence levels as desirable, appropriate chlorophyll amount and ultimately optimized yield in stressed conditions. Also, the higher amount of superoxide dismutase enzyme (SOD) in these varieties, this represents these varieties can cope desirably with drought stress conditions. It is probably that genotypes 10 and 11 are consistent with regional conditions. Also high and meaningful correlation between chlorophyll content and yield (r = 0.56*) showed that by increasing the amount of chlorophyll, the yield rate will be increased. Finally, it was found stress tolerant and high-yield varieties had higher superoxide dismutase, as well as high amount of chlorophyll.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Key words: Chlorophyll fluorescence, drought stress, durum wheat, superoxide dismutase enzyme (SOD).