MITIGATION OF DROUGHT STRESS IN WHEAT THROUGH EXOGENOUS APPLICATION OF PROLINE.

Proline is an integral osmoprotectant produced in plants under stressed conditions to reduce the adverse effects of any abiotic stress. For the induction of drought stress tolerance exogenously applied proline could be an effective strategy. To evaluate this, a pot experiment was designed to mitigate drought stress on wheat through exogenous application of proline. Two water stress levels i.e., 70% and 30% (applied after 4 weeks) and 30mM proline was either applied in soil (after one week of water stress) or as foliar application (after 1 and 2 week of drought stress. In, another treatment double spray of proline was applied after 1 and 2 weeks of drought stress. When compared with control the proline application has a considerable share in improving plant growth attributes under drought stress. Maximum improvement in plant height (53.99 cm), count of tillers plant-1 (3.33), root fresh weight (7.15 g), root dry weight (1.28 g), shoot fresh weight (32.75 g), shoot dry weight (3.03 g), chlorophyll contents (37.13 mg kg-1), N (31%) and P concentration (0.23%) in plants was observed when proline was applied at 1st week and repeated after 2nd week of drought stress. In addition, 46% reduction in Na+\K+ ratio (0.28) in plant leaves was also observed in proline foliar application. The foliar application of proline showed better response than that of soil application. Proline application as foliar spray in two splits during drought stress sounds stronger effects to improve growth and physiology of wheat crop. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]