The Effects of Soil and Foliar Application of Fe on some Biochemical Characteristics of Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) under Two Irrigation Regimes

In order to study the effects of soil and foliar application of Fe-EDDHA on some biochemical and physiological traits in safflower under two irrigation regimes an experiment was conducted in 2008 growing season in Research Field of Faculty of Agriculture, Shahed University. The experimental design was a split-plot based on randomized complete blocks with four replications. Mainplots consisted of two levels of irrigation included full irrigation (irrigation to reach 50% soil moisture depletion of field capacity), and withholding irrigation in flowering stage (irrigation to reach 75% soil moisture depletion of field capacity). Eight Fe levels of Fe-EDDHA (Sequestrene 138) including four levels as soil application (0,50, 100 and 150 kg ha-1) and four levels as foliar application (foliar application of water, 1, 2 and 3 g l-1) were used in sub-plot unit on spring cultivar of safflower (IL111). In this research, traits consisted of leaf soluble proteins, proline accumulation, MDA, soluble sugars (glucose, xylose and mannose), and RWC. The results showed that the highest levels of leaf soluble proteins, glucose, xylose and mannose were detected under non-stress condition with soil application of Fe-EDDHA. While amount of proline and glucose increased with foliar application of Fe-EDDHA and xylose, mannose and RWC with soil application of Fe-EDDHA under stress condition. The highest amount of leaf soluble proteins obtained with soil application (150 kg ha-1) and foliar application (3 g l-1) of Fe-EDDHA under stress condition. MDA decreased significantly with soil application of Fe-EDDHA under stress condition. The results showed that application of Fe-EDDHA, could increase drought tolerance in safflower genotype (IL 111).