Table 1.
Impact of prolonged drought on the traits.
| Trait category | Trait | Unit | Mean ± SD | Mean ± SD | Sample number | P-value | Trait index |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Non-stressed | Stressed | ||||||
| Soil moisture | Volumetric water content | % | 19.49 ± 3.47 | 0.16 ± 0.94 | 48 | P < 0.0001 | −99.17 |
| Electrical conductivity | ds/m (m3/m−3*100) | 0.7 ± 0.89 | 0.0002 ± 0.0014 | 48 | P < 0.0001 | −99.97 | |
| Soil temperature | °C | 28.22 ± 2.94 | 28.34 ± 1.98 | 48 | P < 0.8169 | +0.42 | |
| Plant moisture | Relative water content | % | 92.76 ± 16.75 | 25.41 ± 12.95 | 48 | P < 0.0001 | −65.36 |
| Plant physiology | Photosystem II | Fv/Fm | 0.48 ± 0.19 | 0.41 ± 0.22 | 48 | P < 0.0382 | −15.44 |
| Leaf temperature | °C | 28.66 ± 1.79 | 29.40 ± 1.36 | 48 | P < 0.0251 | +2.58 | |
| Chlorophyll content | CCI | 14.89 ± 7.73 | 7.60 ± 5.43 | 48 | P < 0.0001 | −48.96 | |
| Plant cell | Peroxisome abundance | Relative value (AU) | 123.31 ± 80.52 | 306.41 ± 240.61 | 48 | P < 0.0001 | +148.49 |
| Plant morphology | Plant height | cm | 55.12 ± 15.22 | 41.42 ± 25.44 | 48 | P < 0.0009 | −24.87 |
| Peduncle length | cm | 23.13 ± 7.57 | 15.49 ± 10.51 | 48 | P < 0.0001 | −33.05 | |
| Awn length | cm | 5.61 ± 2.60 | 3.79 ± 2.74 | 48 | P < 0.0012 | −32.52 | |
| Root dry weight | gm | 0.69 ± 0.28 | 0.37 ± 0.28 | 48 | P < 0.0001 | −46.05 | |
| Total root Length | cm | 377.33 ± 172.17 | 231.89 ± 135.58 | 48 | P < 0.0001 | −38.54 | |
| Survival rate | Absolute value | 10 ± 0 | 6.37 ± 1.61 | 48 | P < 0.0001 | −36.25 | |
| Recovery rate | Absolute value | 10 ± 0 | 5.75 ± 2.79 | 48 | P < 0.0001 | −42.50 | |
| Day to flower | days | 44.75 ± 6.12 | 47.82 ± 6.90 | 48 | P < 0.0295 | +6.87 | |
| Plant biomass | Relative plant dry weight | gm | 18.71 ± 8.88 | 6.80 ± 8.85 | 48 | P < 0.0001 | −63.68 |
| Standing biomass | Relative value (AU) | 11.06 ± 5.64 | 4.20 ± 5.32 | 48 | P < 0.0001 | −62.00 | |
| Yield traits | Tiller number | Absolute value | 55.12 ± 15.22 | 41.42 ± 25.44 | 48 | P < 0.0001 | −61.58 |
| Total spike number | Absolute value | 11.52 ± 4.48 | 4.37 ± 4.61 | 48 | P < 0.0001 | −62.03 | |
| Number of productive tillers | Absolute value | 10.35 ± 4.11 | 3.89 ± 4.58 | 48 | P < 0.0001 | −62.37 | |
| Spike weight | gm | 11.33 ± 6.28 | 3.74 ± 5.11 | 48 | P < 0.0001 | −66.95 | |
| Grain number | Absolute value | 245.44 ± 131.56 | 95.85 ± 130.88 | 48 | P < 0.0001 | −60.95 | |
| Grain weight | gm | 8.29 ± 4.52 | 2.71 ± 3.65 | 48 | P < 0.0001 | −67.33 |
Means and standard deviation were calculated for each trait. Trait index is the reduction or increases in the trait value of the stressed plants compared with the non-stressed. Means at 95% confidence level were taken based on the one-way ANOVA test.