Variation and Correlation of Photosynthetic Pigments in Spring Wheat Cultivars under Controlled Growth Conditions

Photosynthetic pigments are an important factor in determining the physiological status and the efficiency of the photosynthetic process in plants. This study aimed to determine the contents of chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, total chlorophyll (a + b), and carotenoids within the leaves of thirteen cultivars of spring wheat. Wheat seeds were grown under controlled conditions, and photosynthetic pigments were extracted using acetone. Their concentrations were measured using a spectrophotometer at different wavelengths. The data were evaluated using descriptive statistics and one-way analysis of variance (one-way ANOVA). The results indicated the presence of variation in the values of concentrations of photosynthetic pigments in the studied wheat cultivars. The highest chlorophyll a and carotenoid contents were recorded in cultivar Voevoda, while the highest chlorophyll b concentration was observed in cultivar L505. The two cultivars Lebedushka and Alexandrit showed lower levels of chlorophylls and carotenoids. A statistically significant difference was detected only for chlorophyll a, whereas chlorophyll b and carotenoids did not differ significantly among cultivars. Also, the study showed that the Pearson correlation coefficient between chlorophyll pigments was strongly positive, and the relationship of chlorophylls with carotenoids was moderately positive. The results showed variation in the content of photosynthetic pigments among the studied wheat cultivars under controlled conditions. The presence of a higher concentration of photosynthetic pigments in the Voevoda and L505 cultivars may indicate the presence of greater accumulation of these pigments and the possibility of photoprotection.