Effects of water stress and high temperature on gas exchange and chlorophyll fluorescence in Triticum aestivum L.

Abstract

Wheat plants grown in controlled growth chambers were exposed to drought stress (DS) and high temperature (HT) singly and in combination (DS+HT). The effects of these two stresses on net photosynthetic rate (P N), stomatal conductance (g s), intercellular CO2 concentration (C i), quantum efficiency of photosystem 2 (ΦPS2), variable to maximum chlorophyll (Chl) fluorescence (Fv/Fm), photochemical (qp) and non-photochemical (NPQ) Chl fluorescence, and yield were investigated. Grain yield was decreased by 21 % due to DS, while it was increased by 26 % due to HT. P N, g s, C i, and Chl fluorescence were dramatically reduced to DS, HT, and their interaction, except NPQ which showed an increase due to HT.