<p>Exogenous use of micro-nutrients-chelated amino acids is gaining interest not only to increase the availability and mobility of the chelated nutrients but also for induction of abiotic stress tolerance in plants for better growth and yield. In present experiment comparative role of Zn-Glutamate (Zn-Glu) and ZnSO₄ as foliar spray was assessed for the water stress tolerance induction in six newly developed high yielding wheat genotypes. Different treatments were no spray, water spray, 1% glutamate (Glu), 0.5% Zn as s ZnSO₄ and 0.5% Zn as Zn-Glu in split-split plot design. Deficit irrigation significantly adversely impacted the growth and yield of all wheat genotypes but was genotype specific. The decrease was associated with bad performance in different physio-biochemical mechanisms including membrane lipid peroxidation and biosynthesis of photosynthetic pigments and metabolites accumulation. Foliar applied ZnSO₄ or Zn-Glu significantly reduced the adverse effects of reduced water supply on growth and yield performance of all wheat cultivars, but the extent of amelioration was genotype specific. Comparatively more amelioration was recorded in plants supplied with Zn-Glu as foliar spray than other foliar treatments. The better growth and yield performance due to Zn-Glu seems due to its better role in maintaining the better leaf chlorophyll, reduced lipid peroxidation in term of less LRMP through improved antioxidant defense mechanism, better osmotic adjustments by accumulating more metabolites. The better water stress tolerance was also found associated with increased accumulation of different essential amino acids in Zn-Glu applied plants positively correlated with leaf Glu content that increased more when applied as foliar spray.</p>