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Plant Science Today (PST)

Research Articles

Vol. 13 No. sp4 (2026): National Symposium on Recent Advances in Life Sciences

Characterisation of bread wheat genotypes under terminal heat stress based on canopy temperature and relative water content

DOI
https://doi.org/10.14719/pst.12886
Submitted
23 November 2025
Published
01-07-2026

Abstract

Terminal heat stress is a major limitation to wheat productivity in India, especially under late-sown conditions where crops are exposed to elevated temperatures during the reproductive stage. The identification of reliable physiological traits for screening heat-tolerant genotypes remains a challenge. In the present study, four bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) genotypes-DBW222, RAJ4238, HD3118 and HD3171-were evaluated under timely and late-sown conditions during the 2024–25 season at Banasthali Vidyapith. Canopy temperature (CT) and relative water content (RWC) were used as key physiological indicators to assess plant response under heat stress conditions. Significant variation among genotypes was observed, with CT ranging from 31.3 °C (HD3118) to 42.1 °C (HD3171), while RAJ4238 recorded the highest RWC (85.61 %) under stress. The comparatively higher CT in some genotypes indicated reduced cooling ability, whereas higher RWC suggested better water retention capacity. Based on heat susceptibility index (HSI), HD3171 showed higher tolerance, whereas DBW222 was identified as sensitive. A relationship (R² = 0.715) between CT and RWC suggests that genotypes maintaining better water status were able to regulate CT more effectively. Overall, the findings highlight that CT and RWC can serve as useful physiological traits for screening wheat genotypes under terminal heat stress conditions.

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