Vol. 11, Special Issue 6 (2022)

Author(s):
Y Sai Niveditha Reddy and Dr. Ranjeet Singh Sran

Abstract:
Wheat is one of the major cereals grown worldwide. Wheat is sensitive to heat stress. Slight increase in temperature can adversely affects the global wheat production. For every 1 ˚Celsius increase in temperature, global wheat production is reduced by 4.1% to 6%. With regards to global estimates, 20% of yield losses occurred due to heat stress. Terminal heat occurs at the grain filling stage. This review paper gives a detailed overview of the heat tolerance mechanism which includes heat shock proteins and an antioxidative enzyme is essential to formulate appropriate breeding strategies to develop varieties tolerant to the heat stress. Heat stress influences various morphological factors, for instance, hinders seed germination, reduces dry mass and shoots and root length. Heat stress increases the production of sterile spikelets, declines the number of grains per ear, number of grains per spikelet, grain weight and mean grain weight per spikelets. Heat stress affects physiological factors such as photosynthesis and respiration and biochemical factors such as starch and amylose content. The integration of conventional breeding with the genetic engineering further enhances the development of novel heat tolerant varieties.