Evaluation of leaf rolling and SPAD chlorophyll index as physiological indicators for drought tolerance in maize

Abstract

Abstract Drought stress remains a critical constraint to maize production, especially under increasing climate variability. This study evaluated 12 maize genotypes under three irrigation regimes (normal, moderate, and severe) to identify drought-tolerant lines based on physiological traits i.e. SPAD chlorophyll and leaf rolling. A factorial randomized complete block design was employed, and the effects of genotype, water regime, and their interaction were assessed using two-way ANOVA. Results showed that both genotype and water stress had a highly significant influence (p < 0.001) on grain yield and SPAD values, while their interaction was non-significant, indicating consistent genotypic performance across environments. The tolerant genotypes were CH-4, CH-5, CH-6, CH-8, NK 22, and Bisi-2, whereas the sensitive ones included Bima-3, CH-1, CH-2, CH-3, CH-7, Gumarang, and NK-22. Genotypes such as CH-4, CH-5, CH-6, CH-8, exhibited superior drought resilience through higher SPAD retention, lower leaf rolling scores, and stable yields under stress. Conversely, CH-1, and Gumarang were more adversely affected. The integration of physiological and agronomic traits considered effective in distinguishing tolerant from susceptible genotypes. Validation across diverse environments is recommended to confirm the stability of these genotypes.

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