Interactive Effects of Sulphur Dioxide and Mineral Nutrient Supply on Photosynthetic Characteristics and Yield in Four Wheat Cultivars

Abstract

Field experiments were conducted on four cultivars of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) to examine the variability in cultivar response to sulphur dioxide (SO2) under different concentrations of mineral nutrients. Thirty-days-old plants were exposed for 8 weeks to 390±20 µg m-3 (0.15 ppm) SO2 for 4 h per day, 5 d per week. Decline in net photosynthetic rate, contents of pigments and nitrogen, biomass and grain yield of each cultivars were due to SO2 at all the nutrient concentrations studied. However, the magnitude of reduction was higher in plants grown without nutrient application. On the basis of the reductions in photosynthesis and yield, the susceptibility of wheat cultivars to SO2 was in the order of Malviya 213 > Malviya 37 > Malviya 206 > Malviya 234 at recommended dose of NPK, whereas the same without the nutrients was Malviya 206 > Malviya 234 > Malviya 213 > Malviya 37.