Effect of Biological and Chemical Fertilizers and Salicylic Acid Spraying on Yield and Some Physiological Traits of Wheat Under Drought Stress

Introduction:

Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is one of the most important and strategic crops worldwide. Drought stress is one of the important and abiotic stresses that reduces the growth and yield of plants.in arid and semi-arid regions. Today, the economic damage and destructive effects of the environment due to the excessive use of chemical fertilizers in agriculture are known worldwide, and it is obvious that a suitable alternative must be found for these fertilizers. Currently, biofertilizers are used as an alternative to chemical fertilizers based on the principles of sustainable agriculture and stress tolerance of plants. Salicylic acid is a natural phenolic compound that is involved in reducing the harmful effects of abiotic environmental stresses and regulating vital physiological processes in plants. 

Materials and Methods:

This study was carried out to assess the effect of fertilizer nutrition and foliar application of salicylic acid on wheat tolerance of Chamran 2 cultivar to drought stress experiment as a factorial split plot in the form of a randomized complete block design in the 2019-2020 crop year in the research farm of the Faculty of Agriculture of Lorestan University in three replications was performed The experimental site was located at a latitude 33°26′ N, a longitude 45°17′ E, and an altitude of 1210 m with a semi-arid climate, mean annual precipitation of 462.8 mm, mean annual evaporation of 1842.52 mm, and mean annual temperature of 16.6 °C .Main plot includes irrigation levels in two levels of without stress (100% of field capacity) and drought stress (50% of field capacity) and sub-plots including fertilizer in five levels including no use of biofertilizer + 50% chemical fertilizer, application of 100% chemical fertilizer, seed inoculation of nitroxin biofertilizer + 50% chemical fertilizer, seed inoculation of mycorrhizal + 50% chemical fertilizer, (simultaneous use of biofertilizers (nitroxin + mycorrhiza) + 50% chemical fertilizer, and foliar application treatment at two levels (foliar application with water and foliar application with a concentration of 1 mM salicylic acid). 

Results and Discussion:

The results showed that drought stress increased grain protein and malondialdehyde and decreased other evaluated traits. Fertilizer nutrition and salicylic acid foliar application treatment alone increased the evaluated traits and decreased malondialdehyde content compared to the no use of biofertilizer + 50% chemical fertilizer and no foliar application of salicylic acid. Combined treatment of fertilizer (nitroxin + mycorrhiza) + 50% chemical fertilizer and salicylic acid could reduce the effect of drought stress on the traits evaluated in this study on wheat of Chamran 2 cultivar. As a result can this treatment suggested to the farmer in order to reduce the consumption of chemical fertilizers in the cultivation of this wheat variety under drought stress conditions. 

Conclusion:

In general, it can be concluded that the application of biofertilizers (nitroxin + mycorrhiza) + 50% chemical fertilizer and salicylic acid foliar application can be used as an effective and alternative fertilizer to reduce the use of chemical fertilizers and water shortage in Khorramabad for sustainable agriculture. As a result, this treatment can be recommended to the farmer to reduce the use of chemical fertilizers in the cultivation of this wheat cultivar under drought stress conditions.