Effect of Water Deficit Stress on Growth and Chlorophyll Pigments in Two Cultivars of Groundnut

Two cultivars of groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L. cv. K-134 and cv. JL-24) subjected different water stress regimes were compared for their growth parameters and chlorophyll pigments in relation to drought tolerance. Drought stress was imposed at 75, 50, and 25% of field capacity respectively from day-30 to day-42 after sowing, while controls were maintained 100% field capacity throughout the growth period. Root length increased over control in both cultivars at mild stress treatments and inhibited at severe stress conditions. Severe stress treatments had caused significant inhibition in shoot growth of both cultivars. As the leaf relative water content (RWC) was dropping progressively with the severity of treatment, the values of leaf area, leaf dry weight, and chlorophyll content were declined in all stress treatments and differed between the cultivars. cv. JL-24 was more affected due to water deficit when compared to cv. K-134.