Identification of drought tolerant genotypes based on physiological, biomass and yield response in groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.)

Abstract

Drought are serious threats on crop productivity losses than any other abiotic stress factor in rainfed agriculture. Influence of the drought using osmotic stress is the one of the best method for the evaluation of tolerance during the germination phase. Seeds of Twenty genotypes of groundnut imposed to osmotic stress (-10bars) of polyethylene glycol (PEG6000) in the laboratory condition. Based on low percent reduction recovery growth (%RRG) in shoot and root length most sensitive and tolerant 16 genotypes were selected. Further, moisture stress was imposed at 20-day-old seedlings at WW (100%FC), MS1 (70%FC), MS2 (30%FC)) under controlled conditions (greenhouse) different filed capacity. The harmful effects of moisture stress were more distinct in drought sensitive genotypes. High mean value of drought susceptibility indexes (DSI) for GPBD-4(G1),_JL-24(G2)_and KCG-6(G3) G1, G2 andG3 were identified as susceptible and NRCG12273_(G13), ICGV1562_(G15) and TMV-2(G16),_G16, G15 and G13 recorded superior performance for less DSI under two soil moisture levels. High pod yield under stress environment due to its ability in maintaining pod number as well as total biomass. There was no significant difference between Pod yield and TDM under moisture stresses of DSI for G1, G2 and G3 genotypes.