Study of physiological reactions particularies of leaf apparatus of maize hybrids and its parental forms in drought conditions

Abstract

The paper presents the results of the studies, that allows to compare specificity of manifestation of water regime parameters of leaf at 15 registered hybrids and 30 parental lines of maize, which has been grown in field conditions with contrast temperature regime (drought/norm). For the first time, in a physiological aspect, the level of heterosis manifestation has been studied according to three parameters of water regime of maize leaf. Experimentally, has been proof, that undergoing of physiological diagnosis of water regime of maize leaf apparatus (water-holding capacity, electrical resistance of leaf tissues and coefficient of leaf thickness stability), in conjunction with interpretation of heterosis effect manifestation according to mentioned above parameters is sufficiently sensitive methodology to identify not only contrast forms, but also drought tolerant hybrid forms of maize. On a comprehensive assessment of all three studied parameters of water regime of leaf, registered hybrid of maize Porumbeni 359 AMRf and its parental form Flavia M are recommended as the genotypes with high tolerance to drought.