Chlorophyll fluorescence response of wheat to exogenous application of growth regulators under terminal drought stress

Abstract

Drought stress negatively affects plant photosynthesis and disturbs the electron transport activity. Evaluation of the chlorophyll fluorescence parameters might reflect influence of the environmental stress on plants and can be applied as an indicator of the primary photochemistry of photosynthesis. In current study the effect of foliar application of benzylaminopurine (BAP, a synthetic cytokinin) and abscisic acid (ABA) on chlorophyll fluorescence parameters of relatively drought tolerant (Pishtaz) and susceptible (Karaj3) bread wheat genotypes under well watered and terminal water deficit condition have been evaluated. Terminal drought was induced by withholding water at anthesis stage (Zadoks scale 65). Results showed that coefficient of non-photochemical quenching of variable fluorescence (qN), quantum yield of PS II photochemistry (ΦPSII) and photochemical quenching (qP) were affected by hormone spray treatments. So that evaluation of parameters at 7 day after foliar treatments revealed that ABA significantly increased electron transport rate (ETR) and qN while considerably decreased ΦPSII, gs and maximum quantum yield of photosystem II (Fv/Fm). However exogenous application of cytokinin could increase gs, Fv/Fm and ΦPSII and the highest value of these parameters was recorded in cytokinin treated plants of Pishtaze cv. under well watered condition. Nevertheless, evaluation of the parameters in different periods after spraying showed that with approaching the maturity stage some traits like as gs, Fv/Fm and ETR significantly decreased in both genotypes. Evaluation of gs and Chlorophyll fluorescence parameters of genotypes between different irrigation levels showed that although cv. Pishtaz showed higher performance of PSII under well watered condition, it failed to maintain its superiority under stress condition. This finding suggests that some more responsive parameter like gs, Fv/Fm and ΦPSII can be considered as reliable indicator for understanding the biochemical and physiological effects of exogenous application of phytohormones under terminal drought stress.