ABSTRACT
High temperature is a prominent abiotic stress, affecting worldwide agricultural production, which requires rigorous screening in order to identify heat tolerant strains for crop productivity and sustainability. So, to investigate the effect of elevated temperature on physiological and biochemical traits of fourteen advanced Indian mustard (Brassica juncea L.) genotypes were sown under two conditions i) normal/ open field condition ii) Temperature Gradient Tunnels (TGT). Physiological and biochemical traits were assessed during the flowering stage. The SPAD value and photosynthetic pigments increased significantly under elevated temperature. Higher temperatures led to a decrease in leaf relative water content and leaf water retention, whereas relative saturation deficit and water saturation deficit increased. Increase in antioxidative enzymes (CAT, SOD and POX) and bio molecules (ascorbic acid and α-tocopherol) were also evident. Average temperature had a significant positive association with Chl b (0.58*), total Chl (0.79**), carotenoids (0.71**), but a significant negative association with CAT (-0.68**) under TGT. A strong relationship existed between seed yield and LRWC (R2=0.429), RSD (R2=0.407), WSD (R2=0.429), POX (R2=0.151) and MDA (R2=0.245) under TGT. This study revealed JT-9 genotype as highly tolerant and JT-12, JA-53, and JD-6 were moderately tolerant with enhanced leaf photosynthetic pigments, stimulated redox homeostasis and increased activity of antioxidative enzymes and bio molecules, which conferred tolerance to heat stress.
AUTHOR AFFILIATIONS
Department of Botany, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, Punjab, India -141004
CITATION
Sharma P and Brar L (2025) Evaluation of Advanced Breeding Lines of Brassica juncea (L.) in Temperature Gradient Tunnels: Physiological and Biochemical Traits Influencing Yield. Environmental Science Archives 4(2): 801-817.
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