In Himachal Pradesh-India, Apple is mainly grown under rainfed conditions. Moreover, the rainfall is not well distributed throughout the year. Most of the rainfall is received during the monsoon and winter seasons and there is very less or no rains during critical periods of growth and development. Thus, the soil moisture generally remains very low during the summer months and a water stress condition develops. This study was undertaken to identify morphological and physio-biochemical changes in one-year-old young grafted apple seedling plants of two varieties i.e. Super Chief and Red chief (Malus×domestica Borkh) under 15 and 30 days of induced water stress followed by 0.05 ppm brassinosteroid and 0.1 ppm brassinosteroid under pot culture study. The brassinosteroid regulates a broad spectrum of plant growth and physio-biochemical processes. One of the most promising roles of brassinosteroid is their ability to confer resistance to a wide array of abiotic stresses. In my study, the maximum reduction in growth and physio-biochemical traits was registered by plants subjected to 30 of water stress as compared to 15 days of water stress than control for both cultivars. However, brassinosteroid at both concentrations could help in maintaining vital growth and physio-biochemical processes under water stress conditions. Foliar spray of brassinosteroid (0.05 ppm) prior to imposition of stress can pave the way to minimize the deleterious effects of water stress on apple plants.
The cultivated apple (Malus×domestica Borkh.), a member of family Rosaceae andsub-family Pomoideae, is native to South West Asia. The primary centre of origin of apple is thought to be the region, which includes the Asia Minor, the Caucasus, Soviet Central Asia and Himalayan India and Pakistan. Apple occupies a significant place in the horticultural wealth of Himachal Pradesh cultivated commercially in most countries in the temperate region of the world and in some tropical areas with high altitude.This study was undertaken to identify morphological and physio-biochemical changes in one-year-old grafted apple young seedling plants of two varieties of Super Chief and Red chief under 15 and 30 days of induced water stress followed by 0.05 ppm brassinosteroid and 0.1 ppm brassinosteroid. The maximum reduction in growth parameters was registered by plants subjected to 30 of water stress as compared to 15 days of water stress. Osmoregulating substances i.e. total free amino acid and total soluble sugars showed increased accumulation and enhanced activities of antioxidant enzyme catalase with increasing duration of water stress, which helped in enhancing drought tolerance. However, brassinosteroid at both concentrations could help in maintaining vital growth and biochemical processes under water stress conditions. Foliar spray of brassinosteroid (0.05 ppm) prior to imposition of stress can pave the way to minimize the deleterious effects of water stress on apple plants.
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