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Abstract

Two wheat genotypes, C 306 (tolerant) and PBW 343 (susceptible to temperature stress) were grown in growth chambers in the phytotron facility of IARI, New Delhi. The plants were maintained at 18/23°C (control) and 25/35°C (temperature stress) night/day temperatures after maximum tillering. Water potential was significantly reduced at anthesis, and at 7 and 15 days after anthesis in both genotypes in the heat stress treatment, and a greater reduction was recorded in PBW 343. The membrane stability index was also lower in the heat stress treatment in both genotypes at the vegetative stage, at anthesis and at 15 days after anthesis, and a greater reduction was observed in PBW 343 than in C 306. The hydrogen peroxide content increased as the plants advanced in age, and a higher hydrogen peroxide content was recorded in PBW 343 than in C 306 at different stages of growth in the heat stress treatment. The superoxide dismutase (SOD), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), catalase (CAT), glutathione reductase (GR) and peroxidase (POX) activities increased significantly at all stages of growth in C 306 in response to heat stress treatment, while PBW 343 showed a significant reduction in catalase, glutathione reductase and peroxidase activities in the high temperature treatment. Northern blot showed a significant increase in the APX-mRNA level under heat stress at the vegetative and anthesis stages, and the expression was greater in C 306. From the results it is apparent that the antioxidant defence mechanism plays an important role in the heat stress tolerance of wheat genotypes.