Effect of Homobrassinolide Application on Metabolic Activity and Grain Yield of Wheat under Normal and Water-Stress Condition

Activities of nitrate reductase, glutamine synthetase along with rate of photosynthesis, chlorophyll content, soluble protein, relative water content, transpiration and diffusion resistance were estimated in wheat cv. C306 at anthesis stage under irrigated and moisture-stress condition and two levels (0.1 and 1.0 ppm) of homobrassinolide application. Yield and yield attributing parameters were recorded at harvest. Moisturestress adversely affected relative water content, transpiration, net photosynthesis, nitrate reductase and glutamine synthetase activity, chlorophyll and soluble protein content.
Homobrassinolide application increased leaf relative water content and transpiration and decreased diffusion resistance in water-stressed and recovered plants. Homobrassinolide application also had positive effect on nitrate reductase and glutamine synthetase activities, photosynthesis, chlorophyll and total soluble protein content in stressed, irrigated and revived plants. The beneficial effect was also observed on grain yield and yield attributing parameters such as grain number per ear, 1000 grain weight, ear number per plant and harvest index. It was concluded that homobrassinolide induced promotion in metabolic activity was mediated through increased enzyme protein synthesis as well as uptake of water resulting in enhanced relative water content under moisture-stress.