Biochemical Response of Ten Varieties of Kenaf (Hibiscus Cannabinus) to Water Stress

Kenaf is a common wild crop of tropical and subtropical Africa and Asia with numerous ‎applications. However, it required optimal water for growth and yields which may be a constraint ‎in tropical areas. This study aims to investigate the biochemical response of ten kenaf varieties to ‎water stress to develop drought-tolerant kenaf. Ten kenaf varieties (Ifeken 400, Ifeken 100, Cuba ‎‎108, Au-72, Tianung, Vi-100, A60-282, AC-313, Au-754, and Au-2452) were planted n=5 in a ‎pot of soil in a completely randomised block design. They were arranged and divided into five ‎groups according to the days of watering (WR10, WR8, WR6, WR4). WR10 (watered on every ‎tenth day), WR8 (watered every eight days), WR6 (watered every six days), WR4 (watered every ‎four days), while the control received water as required. The plants were later harvested at maturity ‎‎(110 DAP); Compatible solutes (soluble protein, soluble carbohydrate and proline), lipid ‎peroxidation, and ascorbic acid, photosynthetic pigments (chlorophyll a, b and carotenoid), ‎and antioxidant enzymes (SOD, POD and catalase) were examined. Data were analysed using anova at ‎‎(P≤0.05). The results showed that among the ten varieties of kenaf examined, Ifeken 400, Ifeken ‎‎100, Tianung and Cuba 108 showed the highest values in all the biochemical parameters, which ‎indicates that these varieties could be tolerant to water stress and could be useful in an area with ‎little or no rainfall‎.