Heat stress alters photosynthetic components and antioxidant scavenging
system, negatively affecting plant growth and development. Plants
overcome heat stress damage through an integrated network involving
enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants. The aim of the study was to
assess physiological and biochemical responses in contrasting
thermotolerant wheat varieties exposed to 25°C (control) and 35°C (heat
stress), during seedling stage. Our results revealed a substantial
decrease in the photosynthetic pigments, carotenoids, anthocyanin
content, and increased membrane injury index, malondialdehyde,
lipoxygenase, methylglyoxal and H2O2 contents compared to non-stress
wheat seedlings. Comparatively the heat tolerant variety BG26 maintained
a high level of stability compared to the heat susceptible variety
Pavon, perpetuated by higher accumulation of proline, glycine betaine,
ascorbate-glutathione cycle associated enzymes, reduced glutathione and
ascorbate contents. In addition, significantly lower MG detoxification
and activities of antioxidant system and ascorbate-glutathione cycle
related enzymatic activities lead to increased susceptibility in Pavon.
Hierarchical clustering and principal component analysis revealed BG26
possessing a combination of biochemical responses that induced higher
level of tolerance. Taken together, our results provide a reference for
utilizing BG26 and Pavon as highly contrasting heat-responsive varieties
for comparative genomics and translational research to unravel
underlying mechanisms to better adapt wheat to heat stress.