Growth of Millet [Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br.] and Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) Plants under Water Stress Conditions
Kouakou Kouassi Joseph *
Laboratory of Biology and Improvement of Plants Productions, UFR of Nature Sciences, University Nangui Abrogoua, 02 BP 801 Abidjan 02, Côte d’Ivoire.
Yao Koffi Bertin
Laboratory of Biology and Improvement of Plants Productions, UFR of Nature Sciences, University Nangui Abrogoua, 02 BP 801 Abidjan 02, Côte d’Ivoire.
Ako Olga Yolande Aké
Laboratory of Environmental Sciences, UFR of Environmental Management Sciences, University Nangui Abrogoua, 02 BP 801 Abidjan 02, Côte d’Ivoire.
Beugré Manéhonon Martine
Departement of Agronomy and Forestry, University of Jean Lorougnon Guede, BP 150 Daloa, Côte d’Ivoire.
Konaté Franck Hilaire
Laboratory of Biology and Improvement of Plants Productions, UFR of Nature Sciences, University Nangui Abrogoua, 02 BP 801 Abidjan 02, Côte d’Ivoire.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Water stress effect on millet and sorghum plants growth was investigated in this work. Grains were germinated for 7 days in Petri dishes. Plants obtained were transplanted into pots, with 60 repetitions per species. For 6 days, they received 100 ml of water before being divided into four batches corresponding to four treatments (100, 50, 25 and 10 ml). An increase in water stress led to a reduction in size of both plant species and leaves number produced, while root system growth was recorded. Millet plants suffered more from depressive effect of water stress than those of sorghum. Therefore, millet is more predisposed to respond to drought than sorghum.
Keywords: Drought, millet, sorghum, water stress