Effect of drought stress and paclobutrazol- treated seeds on physiological response of festuca arundinacea L. master and lolium perenne L. barrage

Abstract

To study interaction between drought stress and pachlobutrazol as treated seeds before planting, seeds of Festuca arundinacea L. Master and Lolium perenne L. Barrage were soaked with 0, 20, 30 and 40 mg.L-1 paclobutrazol for 24 h on shaker during imbibitions stage of seed germination. Treated seeds were sowed in the pots. After 102 days, when the seedlings well established, drought stress was applied in 50% field capacity (FC), 25% FC and well-watered. Interaction effect of Paclobutrazol × drought stress × cultivar was significant on relative water content (RWC). Drought stress increased electrolyte leakage whereas the highest concentration of paclobutrazol reduced EL. The highest total chlorophyll content was observed in Master at wellwatered however at 25% FC in Barrage the lowest chlorophyll content is resulted. Paclobutrazol 40 mgL-1 was the highest total chlorophyll content. Festuca arundinacea L. Master at 25% FC Was the highest proline content. All paclobutrazol concentrations in Festuca arundinacea L. Master resulted higher proline content. Paclobutrazol 20 mgL-1 at 25% FC had higher shoot dry weight. The highest root dry weight resulted in Barrage at well-watered with 30 mgL-1 paclobutrazol. Root length was the highest in well-watered and lower in 25% FC.