Evaluation the Effect of airborne dust on physiological characteristics and yield of different wheat varieties (Triticum sp.)

To evaluate the effect of airborne dust on some physiological characteristics and yield of different wheat varieties, a field experiment was conducted at Research Farm of Razi University, Kermanshah, Iran in 2013. The evaluated treatments were washing and un-washing shoots of various wheat varieties including Pishgam, Zarin and Behrang. Measured traits were as relative water content (RWC), SPAD, chlorophyll content (Chl), soluble protein of flag leaf (SP), stomatal conductance (SC), leaf temperature (LT) and chlorophyll fluorescence (Fv/Fn). Results of this study showed that washing wheat shots aimed at removing dust particles had significant effect on grain yield and grain number per spike, leaf area index, leaf soluble protein, SPAD, stomatal conductance and leaf temperature. The results of the counting of number of seed position per spikelet and grain weight per spikelet showed that washing enhance the quality of both traits. In general, under dusty conditions, Phishgam cultivar had the highest grain yield.