Photosynthetic and yield performance of wild barley (Hordeum vulgare ssp. spontaneum) under terminal heat stress

Terminal heat stress is one of the major constraints of cereal production. A two-year field investigation was performed to assess the response of Hordeum vulgare ssp. spontaneum genotypes to terminal heat stress using gas-exchange parameters, photosystem efficiency, proline accumulation, cell membrane leakage, and grain yield traits. Results of analysis of variance revealed the significant effects of heat stress (E), genotype (G), and G x E on the studied traits. The results of linear regression analysis showed that yield loss was inversely correlated with the maximum quantum yield of PSII photochemistry (F-v/F-m) and chlorophyll content. Path-coefficient analysis revealed that high Chl contents were either directly related to the grain yield or indirectly through the higher net photosynthetic rate and higher F-v/F-m values under high temperatures at the reproductive growth stage. Overall, the adapted wild genotypes exhibited physiological mechanisms capable of sustainable maintaining their yield capacity and plasticity flow, which could be exploited by crossing with cultivated barley to introgress heat tolerance.