Comparative Performance of Two Zinnia (Zinnia elegans) Cultivars under High-Temperature and Limited Water Conditions in Pakistan

Landscape plants are hit most severely when water shortage takes place, so use of drought-resistant plants in the landscape can greatly help to mitigate the situation. Estimating drought tolerance among flowering plants can provide guidance for using these plants world-wide where temperature is high and water is scarce. To highlight this phenomenon, two cultivars of Zinnia elegans i.e., 'Dreamland Red' and 'Super Yoga Pink' were examined for growth parameters at drought levels where the beauty and quality of the plants could be sustained. Four soil moisture levels were maintained with 80, 70, 60 and 100% (control) field capacity. Several morphological as well as physiological characteristics were measured to estimate the drought tolerance between selected cultivars, using standard procedures. The study revealed that 'Dreamland Red' performed better than 'Super Yoga Pink' in morphological as well as physiological attributes, sustaining its acceptable beauty and quality at 70% of field capacity.