The interactive effect between water stress and foliar spraying with ascorbic acid or hydrogen peroxide on wheat productivity

Abstract EN

Two field experiments were carried out at a private farm at Manchat Nabhan, Fakose, Sharkia Governorate, Egypt during 2017/18 and 2018/19 winter seasons.

The study aimed to find out the effect of five exogenous application levels of AsA and H2O2 (S0: without, S1: 100 ppm AsA, S2: 200ppm AsA, S3: 30mM H2O2 and S4: 60mM H2O2) on wheat (Triticum asetivum, L.

cv.

Misr 1) under three treatments of irrigation water (4, 5 and 6 irrigations) using surface irrigation system.

A randomized complete block split plot design with three replicates was used in each season.

The irrigation treatments and the levels of AsA and H2O2 were randomly allocated in the main and sub-plots, respectively.

The most important findings could be summarized as follows: At 105 days from planting, wheat plants under water stress (irrigation four times) without AsA and H2O2 application showed a significant decrease in leaf area index (LAI), relative water content (RWC % )
and total chlorophyll in comparison to wheat plants under well watered in both seasons.

In general, the highest values of these traits were significantly gained from the highest concentration of ascorbic acid (200 ppm) and H2O2 (60mM) in both seasons.

At maturity, in both seasons, irrigations 4 times significantly resulted in lower spikes number m-2, 1000-grain weight and grain yields than those in the plots irrigated 6 times.

Generally, the maximum values of these traits were significantly obtained from the highest levels of ascorbic acid and H2O2 in both seasons.

Under stressed and unstressed plants, increasing AsA and H2O2 levels significantly improved all these traits.