Drought Stress Induced Alterations in Compatible Solute accumulation and yield of six Paspalum scrobiculatum Land Races of Tamilnadu.

Drought is a serious threat to world food security. Plants respond to drought stress by different adaptations and metabolic alterations. A pot culture experiment was conducted to investigation effect of different levels if drought stress on photosynthetic pigments, compatible solute accumulations and yield parameters of six Kodo millet landraces. Plants were exposed to different levels of drought stresses (3, 4, 5 and 6 DID) from 20th to 60th DAS and samples were harvested on 40th and 60th DAS to estimate photosynthetic pigments and compatible solutes. Drought stress significantly decreased photosynthetic (chl a, chl b and carotenoids). However, organic solutes such as free amino acid, sucrose, total soluble sugars, proline, and glycinebetaine contents significantly increased under drought stress treatment. On the other hand, drought stress markedly decreased protein and starch content and yield parameters. Therefore, these plants possess different metabolic adaptation mechanisms which favored them to withstand the drought stress conditions.