ISSN 2375-1096
International Journal of Agroforestry and Silviculture ISSN 2375-1096 Vol. 8 (8), pp. 001-005, August, 2020. © International Scholars Journals
Full Length Research Paper
Response of pearl millet (Pennistetum glaucum) cultivars to post-flowering drought stress
Yalew Addisie* and Gebre-Egziabher Yemane
Department of Biology, College of Natural and Computational Sciences, Mekelle University, Mekelle, Ethiopia.
Accepted 11 August, 2020
Abstract
Two pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br.) cultivars (Dadda and Shella) were evaluated at post-flowering stage for drought tolerance based on morpho-physiological criteria. The experiment was laid down in a randomized complete block design which comprised of a combination of two factors (cultivars and three water stress regimes; (well watered (36%), moderately stressed (21%) and severely stressed (9%)). Data on morpho-physiological variables such as total green leaf area, relative water content, potential quantum yield, root/ shoot ratio and yield per panicle revealed significant (P ≤ 0.05) differences between the cultivars at severely water stress treatment. Dadda showed the maximum relative water content (RWC) (45.70±1.13%) than Shella with the RWC of (32.00±1.06%) under SS. Under SS moisture level Dadda showed the maximum potential quantum yield of 0.77 µmolm-2s-1 than Shella, 0.69 µmolm-2s-1. Dadda showed better drought stress tolerance than Shella in terns of relative water content, potential quantum yield, yield per panicle and root/ shoot ratio under sever water stress. The analysis of growth revealed the importance of total green leaf area, relative water content, potential quantum yield, yield per panicle and root/ shoot ratio as markers for drought tolerance during post-flowering stage in Pearl millet cultivars.
Key words: Cultivars, morpho-physiological criteria, pearl millet, post-flowering.