Effects of water stress on relative water, chlorophylls and proline contents in barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) leaves

Under both natural and agricultural conditions, plants are often exposed to various environmental stresses. Water stress and drought are the most important environmental factors inhibiting photosynthesis and decreasing growth and productivity of plants. To evaluate the effects of water stress on the physicochemical composition of barley, Tunisian cultivar Ardhaoui, several assays were performed on the leaves such as relative water, chlorophylls and proline contents. Our study showed that the water restriction affected significantly the physicochemical composition of barley leaves. In fact, plants which were subjected to the water stress, showed lower relative water and chlorophylls contents and higher level of proline, compared to the control.