Terminal heat stress in wheat in North-West India and its amelioration with chemicals

Abstract

Terminal high temperature is a major environmental stress limiting wheat productivity worldwide. The field study was conducted to evaluate the effect of terminal heat stress on wheat growth and yield. The factorial experiment was designed in randomized complete block design with three replications, and comprised of eleven treatments of chemicals namely water spray @ 500 l/ha at 45 days after sowing (DAS) and during heat stress; salicylic acid @ 50 μM at 45 DAS and during heat stress; salicylic acid @ 100 μM at 45 DAS and during heat stress; calcium chloride @ 0.5% at 45 DAS and during heat stress, calcium chloride @ 1% at 45 DAS and during heat stress; unsprayed control under ambient temperature and heat stress. An increase of +11.6°C of average maximum temperature and +2.5°C of minimum temperature was observed by imposing heat stress during 108-114 DAS. The results revealed that grain yield was reduced by 35% due to heat stress. In this study, the growth parameters, yield attributes and grain yield did not vary significantly with the spray of different chemicals.