1Division of Biochemistry and Plant Physiology, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology-Jammu, Main Campus, Chatha, Jammu, Jammu and Kashmir-180009, India
2Division of Soil & Agriculture Chemistry, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology-Jammu, Main Campus, Chatha, Jammu, Jammu and Kashmir-180009, India
3Division of Plant Pathology, Faculty of Agriculture, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology-Jammu, Main Campus, Chatha, Jammu, Jammu and Kashmir-180009, India
Effect of post-anthesis moisture deficit stress on plant physiology and subsequent impact on grain yield and oil content and quality was investigated in leading mustard varieties viz. RSPR-69, Pusa Mehak-5 and RH-30 with refence to check variety PC-5. Levels of leaf chlorophylls and relative water content (RWC) were found to decline, whereas osmolytes proline, total aminoacid, total sugar, souble protein, ascorbic acid, total phenol contents and detoxifing enzymes-superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (PO) and polyphenol oxidase (PPO) registered higher values under post-anthesis moisture stress condition. The variety RSPR-69 which recorded minimum reduction in chlorophylls (a, b & total contents) (−29.9, -27.7 & -29.2%) and RWC (−15.3%) along with highest increase in all osmolyte parameters and detoxifying enzymes viz. SOD (22.7%), PPO (18.2%) and PO(2.9) levels, was found highly tolerant against moisture stress amd ranked after check variety PC-5 which revealed -22.8% &- 9.9% losses in total chlorophyll & RWC, and rise in SOD, PPO & PO values by 23.6, 29.7 & 9.2%, respectively. Seed test weight (1000 seeds weight), oil content and quality parameter iodine number value were shown to reduce with simultaneous improvement in peroxide and saponification values as an impact of moisture stress. On the basis of minimum loss percent in yield (−24.4%), oil quantity (−7.5%) and minimum rise in peroxide and saponification values (7.3 & 7.1%) and lowest decrease in iodine value (−6.6%), drought resistant RSPR-69 variety is considered to be least affected in moisture stress and is comparable to reference PC-5 variety which suffered lowest loss in yield (−20.8%) and oil content (−5.0%) and with deterioration of quality parameters at par to RSPR-69.
Mustard varieties, moisture deficit stress, relative water content, proline, superoxide dismutase, oil quality, peroxide, saponification value, iodine value
