EFFECT OF DROUGHT STRESS TOLERANCE IN MAIZE maysL.)AND PEARL MILLET(PennisetumglaucumL.)

Abstract

This investigation is to determine the physiological basis of water deficit stress in pearl millet, each representing a treatment and replicated 3 times. Category received 100ml of water every 2 days throughout the experimental period. Category received 100ml of water every 2 days for 6 weeks before subjecting them to simulated drought. Physiological parameters evaluated after the treatment include biomass, relative water content of leaf, leaf area, chlorophyll level and leaf epidermal quantification. Analysis of variance was also found to be significant for genotypes, treatments and their interactions at 0.05% level. The results showed drought caused decrease in biomass, chlorophyll, relative water content drought, while in Pennisetumglaucum, showed a significant increase in root/shoot ratio, biomass, and abaxial epidermal surface under drought condition. Therefore, the comparative analysis of these two genotypesunder well-watered and water deficit stress condition revealed that P. glaucumwas superior over Z. mays indicating that such relationships can be positively attributed to drought tolerance.