Evaluation of Selectively Fertilized Hybrids of Coconut (Cocos nucifera L.) for Water Use Efficiency Under Moderate Water Stress

By : Aisha Renju N.A, Roy Stephen, Manju R.V.

Page No: 197-200

Abstract
Screening for drought tolerance has become a significant part of crop improvement programme in rainfed areas to cope up with water scarcity in context of climate change. Selective fertilization is a new technique to develop hybrids upon imposing selection pressure artificially during the events of pollen germination and fertilization. In the present study, we evaluated two coconut hybrids viz. Kerasree S.F and Keraganga S.F developed through selective fertilization for water use efficiency under 100% and 50% field capacity and were compared with their normal hybrids for various drought tolerance mechanisms. Results have shown that selectively fertilized hybrids varied significantly from their normal hybrids for relative water content, proline content and activity of enzymatic antioxidant catalase. Kerasree S.F be the most water use efficient genotype on account of maximum dry matter accumulation and lowest volume of cumulative water transpired.

Authors :
Aisha Renju N.A., Roy Stephen and Manju R.V. : Department of Plant Physiology, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India