Silicon-mediated role of 24-epibrassinolide in wheat under high-temperature stress

High temperature poses a severe extortion to productivity of many crops like wheat. Therefore, well documented roles of brassinosteroid (BR) and silicon (Si) in terms of abiotic stress tolerance, the current study was designed to evaluate the response of wheat (Triticum aestivum L. Var. PBW-343) to 24-epibrassinolide (EBL) mediated by silicon grown under high temperature stress. At 10- and 12-day stage after sowing, the seedlings were administered Si (0.8 mM) through the sand, and the plants at 20, 22, or 24 days after sowing (DAS) were given EBL (0.01μM) through foliage. Plants were treated to high-temperature stress (35/28 or 40/35 °C), for 24 h with 12-h photoperiod in plant growth chamber at 25- and 26-day stage of growth. High temperatures cause significant reduction in growth performance and photosynthesis-related attributes at 35 days after sowing. However, antioxidant enzymes and proline content also augmented substantially with increasing temperature. BR and Si enhanced antioxidant activity and proline content, which was earlier increased by the high temperature. It is established that interaction of EBL and Si considerably improved the growth features, photosynthetic efficacy, and several biochemical traits under high-temperature stress through elevated antioxidant system and osmoprotectant.