Comparative Study on the Effect of Water Stress on the Photosynthesis and Water Relations of Triticale, Rye and Wheat

An attempt was made to investigate the effect of water stress treatment on the components of photosynthesis and water relations of triticale ( Triticale octoploide ), Russian rye ( Secale cereale ) and wheat, ( Triticum aestivum var. Sonalika ). The results revealed that there was no significant adverse effect of water stress on the photosynthesis of triticale compared to wheat and rye. The maintenance of photosynthetic productivity under water stress in triticale has been accomplished by (a) reduction in water loss by stomatal behaviour and (b) by maintenance of water uptake through continued transpirational flow. Both these mechanisms served to maintain high water potential as stress occures. This ameliorates the onset of stress and helps to maintain photosynthesis. The rye also consists of another type of adaptability to drought through significant recovery of photosynthesis and chlorophyll development on reirrigation particularly at post-anthesis stage, when other species failed to recover. However, in wheat Sonalika both these adaptive characteristics did not exist in such intensity.