Vol. 12, Issue 11 (2023)

Author(s):
Narender Mohan, Ajay Pal and Vinod Saharan

Abstract:
A serious environmental barrier to crop productivity in a warming climate is terminal heat stress. In this study, a wheat variety WH 1124, was used to test the potential benefits of Zn-SA-chitosan bio-nano-conjugates (BNCs) in reversing or buffering the harmful effects of terminal heat stress (THS) on antioxidant system. Together, BNCs supplied Zn and SA, which improved the crop's nutritional availability. By improving cellular redox equilibrium and up regulating the antioxidant status involved in stress tolerance and plant growth, BNCs contributed to increased wheat yield. By soothing hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂), and malondialdehyde (MDA), BNCs (0.01-0.16% w/v) added at the anthesis stage further manipulated cellular homeostasis. The activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase, peroxidase, in flag leaves enduring terminal heat stress on late planting were improved by foliar application of BNCs. The wheat plant was able to mitigate THS thanks to a synergistic combination of improved antioxidative capacity and metabolite accumulation.