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Fifty wheat genotypes were evaluated at the seedling stage of growth, for genetic variation in cellular thermotolerance by cell membrane thermostability (CMS) and Triphenyl tetrazolium choride (TTC) assays. A subset of eight genotypes was also evaluated at the anthesis stage using the same assays. Large and significant differences existed among wheat genotypes for TTC and CMS at the seedling and anthesis stages. Average thermotolerance declined from seedling to anthesis stage. Thermotolerance was well-correlated between growth stages among the eight genotypes for both CMS (r=0.95; p= 0.01) and TTC (r=0.92; p= 0.01). The correlation between TTC and CMS among the eight genotypes at seedling and anthesis stages was significant (r=0.95; p=0.01 and r=0.93; p= 0.01, respectively). The effect of heat stress on wheat genotypes selected on the basis of TTC and CMS thermotolerance ratings were evaluated. 1000-grain weight, grain filling duration (GFD) and grain filling rate (GFR) reduced under heat stress. The heat susceptibility index (S) revealed K-65 and Yangmai- 6 to be susceptible and NW-1014 and DBW-14 to be moderately tolerant to heat stress. GFR and 1000-grain weight were found to have highly significant positive correlation with CMS and TTC ratings at both seedling and anthesis stages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.