A. K., GuptaPriyanka Bhagi2017-06-142017-06-142011http://krishikosh.egranth.ac.in/handle/1/5810019947Two wheat cultivars, C306 (drought tolerant) and PBW343 (drought susceptible) were compared for their response to water stress (WS), salt stress (ST) and combined stress (WS plus ST) during germination. Their response was studied in the form of growth and antioxidant potential in roots and shoots and in the form of 11 LEA (group 2, group 3 and group 4) genes’ expression in shoots. Drought tolerant cultivar, C306 was found to be more salt sensitive in comparison to drought sensitive cultivar PBW 343. Salt sensitivity of C306 was related to more MDA contents, lower levels of antioxidant enzymes, lesser proline contents in roots, lesser dry weight accumulation under ST than the levels observed under WS. Salt-insensitivity of PBW343 was related to increased levels of H2O2 followed by increased ascorbate and ascorbate/dehydroascorbate ratio under ST whereas such features were almost lacking under WS. Dry matter accumulation under ST was also more than under WS in PBW343. Above mentioned responses under combined stress were more similar to WS than ST in C306 and were more similar to ST than to WS in PBW343. Among 11 LEA genes, nine genes were induced by higher amount under WS than under ST in C306. This also favored salt-susceptibility of C306. In PBW343, group 2 and group 4 genes were almost equally induced under WS and ST but group 3 genes were more induced under ST than WS. Two LEA genes, Wdhn13 and Td25a were more salt-responsive as these were induced more under ST than WS in both cultivars.ennullThesis