Leaf wettability and leaf angle affect air-moisture deposition in wheat for self-irrigation
Hakeem S. Ali Z. Saddique M.A.B. Merrium S. Arslan M. Habib-ur-Rahman M.
December 2023BioMed Central Ltd
BMC Plant Biology
2023#23Issue 1
Background: Climate change and depleting water sources demand scarce natural water supplies like air moisture to be used as an irrigation water source. Wheat production is threatened by the climate variability and extremes climate events especially heat waves and drought. The present study focused to develop the wheat plant for self-irrigation through optimizing leaf architecture and surface properties for precise irrigation. Methods: Thirty-four genotypes were selected from 1796 genotypes with all combinations of leaf angle and leaf rolling. These genotypes were characterized for morpho-physiological traits and soil moisture content at stem-elongation and booting stages. Further, a core set of ten genotypes was evaluated for stem flow efficiency and leaf wettability. Results: Biplot, heat map, and correlation analysis indicated wide diversity and traits association. The environmental parameters indicated substantial amount of air moisture (> 60% relative humidity) at the critical wheat growth stages. Leaf angle showed negative association with leaf rolling, physiological and yield traits, adaxial and abaxial contact angle while leaf angle showed positive association with the stem flow water. The wettability and air moisture harvesting indicated that the genotypes (coded as 1, 7, and 18) having semi-erect to erect leaf angle, spiral rolling, and hydrophilic leaf surface (<90o) with contact angle hysteresis less than 10o had higher soil moisture content (6-8%) and moisture harvesting efficiency (3.5 ml). Conclusions: These findings can provide the basis to develop self-irrigating, drought-tolerant wheat cultivars as an adaptation to climate change.
Climate change , Contact angle , Hydrophilic , Leaf angle , Leaf rolling , Precise irrigation
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Institute of Plant Breeding and Biotechnology, MNS University of Agriculture, Multan, Pakistan
Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan
Programs and Projects Department, Islamic Organization for Food Security, Mangilik Yel Ave. 55/21 AIFC, Unit 4, C4.2, Astana, Kazakhstan
Institute of Crop Science and Resource Conservation (INRES), Crop Science Group, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
Department of Agronomy, MNS University of Agriculture, Multan, Pakistan
Institute of Plant Breeding and Biotechnology
Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics
Programs and Projects Department
Institute of Crop Science and Resource Conservation (INRES)
Department of Agronomy
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