Relative water content (RWC) and biomass were measured by quantifying weight. Twenty leaf disks were used to measure freshly weight (FW) and thereafter kept in water at 4 C for 4 h to measure turgid weight (TW). After that leaves were oven dried at 50 C for the measurement of dry weight (DW). Relative water content (RWC) was calculated using RWC (%) = [(FW DW/ TW FW)] 100 (Gao et al., 2010). Biomass was weighed using a weigh balance after dehydration of the sample. Chlorophyll fluorescence parameters such as quantum efficiency of photosystem II (YII), linear electron transport rate (ETR), and Nonphotochemical quenching (NPQ) were measured using PAM 2500 (Heniz Walz; Germany) in slow kinetics mode (Takahara et al., 2010). Minimum fluorescence was recorded after dark adaptation of 30 min and the maximum fluorescence was monitored by application of a 0.8 s saturating light pulse (6000 lmol photons m2 s1). The steady state fluorescence yield was monitored through exposure of leaf to actinic light 530 lmol photons m2 s1. Plant pigments such as chlorophyll and carotenoids were estimated from leaves
(100 mg) kept in acetone-DMSO in dark for 12 h (Lichtenthaler and Welburn, 1983). Anthocyanins were quantified from 0.5 g of leaf powder with 5 mL of mixture of methanol/HCL/water (90:1:1, vol:vol:vol) according to Mancinelli, 1984.