Extreme Temperature Responses, Oxidative Stress and Antioxidant Defense in Plants - Abiotic Stress: Plant Responses and Applications in Agriculture - page 178

Plant species Temperature and duration % reduction References

Increase in temperature from 32/22 to
36/26 and 40/30°C (day/night); from
emergence to maturity

Seed yield: 10 and 99%,
respectively

Sorghum bicolor [20]

5°C higher than optimum; from sowing
to 60 DAS, 61-80 DAS and 81 DAS to
maturity

Grain spike -1 : 18%
Grain weight: 19%
Grain yield plant -1 : 46%

Triticum aestivum [91]

Sorghum bicolor 40/30°C (day/night), 63 d Seed weight plant -1 : 53% [86]

Panicle weight: 7%
Spikelet weight: 16%

Oryza sativa 35/30°C (day/night); at heading stage [92]

32°C (10 h night temperature; stating
from 20 DAE until harvest)

Oryza sativa Yield per plant -1 : 90% [87]

Panicles plant -1 : 10%
Grain yield plant -1 : 39%
Harvest index: 30%

Oryza sativa 34°C, 7 d; during grain filling stage [93]

No. of fruits plant -1 : 28%
Yield plant -1 : 62%
Fruit length: 18%
Fruit diameter: 20%

29/23°C (day/night); from 7 DAT to
edible maturity

Capsicum annum [94]

31/18°C (day/night); from heading to
harvest maturity

Grain number spike -1 : 50%
Grain yield plant -1 : 39%

Triticum aestivum [42]

Oryza sativa 27°C during grain filling period Grain weight: 4% [95]

DAS - days after sowing, DAT - days after transplanting, DAE - days after emergence

Table 2. Reduction in yield components and yield of different crops as affected by high temperature

3. Plant responses to low temperature

Cold or LT stress comprises of chilling (<20 o C) and freezing temperatures (<0 o C) those hamper
the plant growth and development in many ways. Chilling-sensitive plants exposed to LTs
usually show water-stress symptoms due to decreased root hydraulic conductance and leaf
water and turgor potentials [96]. Cold stress effects on crop plant have been studied since long
time in many economically important crops [97-100] among which some of are chilling
sensitive and unable to survive cold temperatures. Low temperature affects the plants in every
stage of life starting from germination up to maturity.

3.1. Germination

Chilling injury is a serious problem during germination and early seedling growth in many
plant species. For instance, optimum temperature range for germination of rice seed lies