EFFECT OF WATER STRESS ON CHLOROPHYLL, NITRATE REDUCTASE ACTIVITY AND CANE YIELD IN SUGARCANE (SACCHARUM OFFICINARUM L.)

Abstract

The physiological response of sugarcane genotypes to water stress was investigated in a field experiment comprising 10 sugarcane genotypes and two water regimes laid out in factorial randomized block design with three replications. The reduction in net-photosynthetic rate (Pn), leaf chlorophyll, nitrate reductase activity (NRA), cane yield and CCS yield was 43.05, 18.20, 41.31, 26.99 and 28.50 % respectively due to 60 days water stress in the formative growth stage. The genotypes CoM 0265, Co 86032, CoM 0254 and CoM 08085were found to be drought tolerant. Significant positive correlation was observed between cane yield under water stress condition and Pn leaf chlorophyll content and NRA.