PHOTOSYNTHETIC CHARACTERISTICS IN BRASSICA-CARINATA HYBRIDS AND THEIRPARENTS AS INFLUENCED BY MOISTURE STRESS

The response of Brassica carinata hybrids and their parents to moistur e stress at different growth stages was studied, B. carinata 226 was f ound to be susceptible to stress at pre-flowering and post-flowering s tages while B. carinata 241 at flowering stage. Neither the changes in stomatal conductance nor in chlorophyll content could fully explain t he reduction in net photosynthetic rate (P-N) induced by stress. B, ca rinata 241 had higher leaf water potential (psi(w)) although, it had l ower P-N compared to B. carinata 226, Both the parents had lower P-N a s well as leaf psi(w). The stress response of P-N in hybrids followed that in their respective female parents.