Induction of heat stress tolerance in barley (Hordeum vulgare) through thermopriming

Abstract

Present study was carried during 2021–22 and 2022–23 at ICAR-Indian Institute Seed Science, Mau, Uttar Pradesh to evaluate the effect of thermopriming on inducing heat stress tolerance in barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) grown under suboptimal conditions. The experimental material consisted of two location specific varieties of barley, DWRB 101 and DWRB 123, with two distinct lots, one of fresh seeds and the other of seeds aged for 1-year duration. Temperature regime between 30 to 45°C with 5°C increment and 6, 12, 24, 36 and 48 h duration, was selected as the treatment combinations along with the control (non-treated seeds). Results showed that the quantum of temperature exposure as well as the duration has significant impact on the germination and seedling growth of barley under lab conditions. The ANOVA and Dunken multiple range test enumerated that, the seeds primed at 30°C for 12 h, has positively improved the germination potential and seedling vigour index when compared to the respective lower and higher durations of exposure and revealed it as the best treatment combination. The subsequent year of evaluation of emergence potential of the treated seeds under an artificially induced high temperature stress revealed that the selected treatment was a good performer in inducing heat stress tolerance in barley, and can be chosen as solution to the high temperature stress induced through increasing atmospheric temperature at different stages of crop growth.