1College of Agriculture, ANGRAU, Rajendranagar-30, Hyderabad, A.P.
2Institute of Frontier Technologies, Regional Agricultural Research Station, ANGRAU, Tirupati-517502, A.P.
* Corresponding author, E-mail: palagiris@hotmail.com
Online published on 21 January, 2012.
Ten guar genotypes were screened for drought tolerance under field conditions by imposing moisture stress from 35 days after sowing (DAS) to 70 DAS (flowering to pod filling). Different drought tolerant traits viz., specific leaf area (SLA), SPAD Chlorophyll Meter Readings (SCMR), relative water content (RWC) and leaf peroxidase activity were recorded at 30 days after imposition of moisture stress (65 DAS) in simulated mid season moisture stress and irrigated treatment. The genotypes WSP-50, GG-1, RGM-111 recorded lower SLA (92.12 to 97.32 cm2 g−1), higher SCMR (62.67 to 65.17), RWC values (59.80 to 64.70%) with higher peroxidase activity (289 to 301 units litre−1) under moisture stress conditions, which establish the drought tolerant nature of these genotypes. These genotypes can be used as good donor source for developing drought tolerant genotypes.
Drought tolerance, guar genotypes, physiological traits
