Response of barley cultivars to chemical treatments of salicylic acid and selenium under drought stress in field condition

Effects of drought stress and chemical treatments was studied on growth and developmental traits of four barley cultivars using a split- split plot design (RCBD) in Agricultural Research Farm, Kerman University in 2013-14. Main plots consisted of irrigation (control and drought stress after flowering), sub-plots consisted of four barley cultivars (ʻNosratʼ, ʻAfsalʼ, ʻYousofʼ and ʻUH12 lineʼ) and sub-sub plot consisted of control, salicylic acid (0.5 mM) as seed soaking, foliar spray at anthesis and seed soaking foliar spray) and also foliar spray with selenium (40 mg/l using sodium selenate). Drought stress significantly decreased chlorophyll index (10 percent), thousand grain weight (19 percent), grain yield (20 percent), biological yield (11 percent) and harvest index (12 Percent). On the contrary, salicylic acid increased plant height, length of spike and awn, chlorophyll index, thousand grain weight, grain yield, biological yield and harvest index. Foliar spray of plants with sodium selenate increased selenium contents of grains in all cultivars. However, it could be concluded that salicylic acid improved plant performance under normal and drought conditions and selenate application enriched barley grains, and therefore those treatments are commercially recommended.