Skip to main navigation menu Skip to main content Skip to site footer
Plant Science Today (PST)

Research Articles

Vol. 12 No. 3 (2025)

Assessment of foliar-applied stress regulators to sustain the growth and yield of wheat varieties under various irrigation levels

DOI
https://doi.org/10.14719/pst.8938
Submitted
17 April 2025
Published
26-06-2025 — Updated on 01-07-2025
Versions

Abstract

This study was conducted to evaluate the interactive effects of irrigation levels, wheat varieties and foliar application of stress regulators on growth, yield and economic returns of wheat. A field experiment was laid out in a split-split plot design during the Rabi 2021-22 season at JNKVV, Jabalpur (M.P.) comprising three irrigation levels (one irrigation at CRI, two irrigations at CRI and flowering and three irrigations at CRI, flowering and milking stages), two wheat varieties (JW 3288 and JW 3382) and five foliar applications (control, 1 % potassium chloride, 2 % potassium chloride, 0.1 % ascorbic acid and 0.2 % ascorbic acid) applied at tillering and flowering stages. Results revealed that three irrigations at CRI, flowering and milking stages significantly enhanced plant height, tiller number, leaf area index, dry matter accumulation, grain yield and straw yield compared to reduced irrigation levels. Among varieties, JW 3288 consistently outperformed JW 3382, indicating its greater adaptability and moisture stress tolerance. Foliar application of 2 % KCl markedly improved growth, yield attributes and yield by enhancing osmotic regulation, assimilate partitioning and leaf water status under limited moisture. Ascorbic acid applications provided moderate benefits by stabilizing chlorophyll and mitigating oxidative stress effects during water-deficient periods. The highest productivity and profitability were achieved under the combination of three irrigations, JW 3288 variety and 2 % KCl foliar spray, demonstrating significant interaction effects among irrigation, variety and foliar stress regulation practices. These results highlight the potential of integrated agronomic strategies for enhancing wheat resilience and yield in wheat-growing regions.

References

  1. 1. Erenstein O, Jaleta M, Mottaleb KA, Sonder K, Donovan J, Braun HJ. Global trends in wheat production, consumption and trade. In: Reynolds PM, Braun HJ, editors. Wheat Improvement: Food Security in a Changing Climate. Cham: Springer International Publishing; 2022. p. 47–66. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-90673-3_4
  2. 2. Singh SK, Kumar S, Kashyap PL, Sendhil R, Gupta OP. Wheat. In: Ghosh PK, Anup D, Saxena R, Banerjee K, Kar G, Vijay D, editors. Trajectory of 75 years of Indian Agriculture After Independence. Singapore: Springer Nature Singapore; 2023. p. 137–62. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-19-7997-2
  3. 3. Poutanen KS, Kårlund AO, Gómez-Gallego C, Johansson DP, Scheers NM, Marklinder IM, Landberg R. Grains–a major source of sustainable protein for health. Nutr Rev. 2022;80(6):1648–63. https://doi.org/10.1093/nutrit/nuab084
  4. 4. Padhy AK, Kaur P, Singh S, Kashyap L, Sharma A. Colored wheat and derived products: key to global nutritional security. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2024;64(7):1894–910. https://doi.org/10.1080/10408398.2022.2119366
  5. 5. Grote U, Fasse A, Nguyen TT, Erenstein O. Food security and the dynamics of wheat and maize value chains in Africa and Asia. Front Sustain Food Syst. 2021;4:617009. https://doi.org/10.3389/fsufs.2020.617009
  6. 6. Hossain A, Farhad M, Aonti AJ, Kabir MP, Hossain MM, Ahmed B, Azim J. Cereals production under changing climate. In: Fahad S, Munir I, Nawaz T, Adnan M, Lal R, Saud S, editors. Challenges and Solutions of Climate Impact on Agriculture. Academic Press; 2025. p. 63–83 https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-443-23707-2.00003-9
  7. 7. Biswas S, Das R, Dutta D. Analysing the impacts of irrigation and primary nutrients on shoot and root characteristics, soil temperature and moisture extraction pattern of winter maize in Gangetic plains of India. Discov Plants. 2025;2(1):115. https://doi.org/10.1007/s44372-025-00189-1
  8. 8. Agrawal P, Sinha J, Jangre N, Kumar F, Sinha A, Singh A, Pasupuleti S. Developing an efficient and optimized irrigation plan under varying water-supply regimes. Ain Shams Eng J. 2025;16(2):103272. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.asej.2025.103272
  9. 9. Kheiri M, Kambouzia J, Rahimi-Moghaddam S, Moghaddam SM, Vasa L, Azadi H. Effects of agro-climatic indices on wheat yield in arid, semi-arid and sub-humid regions of Iran. Reg Environ Change. 2024;24(1):10. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10113-023-02173-5
  10. 10. Yadav M, Vashisht BB, Jalota SK, Jyolsna T, Singh SP, Kumar A, Singh G. Improving water efficiencies in rural agriculture for sustainability of water resources: a review. Water Res Manag. 2024;38(10):3505–26. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11269-024-03836-6
  11. 11. Singh M, Singh A, Jaswal A, Sarkar S. System of wheat intensification: an innovative and futuristic approach to augment yield of wheat crop. Nat Environ Pollut Technol. 2024;23(1):569–75. https://doi.org/10.46488/NEPT.2024.v23i01.054
  12. 12. Pachang F, Talebnejad R, Sepaskhah AR, Mehrabi F. Water use efficiency and winter wheat grain yield of different cultivars under different irrigation strategies in a semi-arid region. Int J Plant Prod. 2024;18(2):187–200. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42106-024-00290-7
  13. 13. Tahir M, Arshad MA, Akbar BA, Bibi A, Ain QU, Bilal A, Pervaiz R. Integrated nitrogen and irrigation management strategies for sustainable wheat production: enhancing yield and environmental efficiency. J Pharmacogn Phytochem. 2024;13(4):209–22. https://doi.org/10.22271/phyto.2024.v13.i4c.15012
  14. 14. Yu L, Zhao X, Gao X, Siddique KH. Improving/maintaining water-use efficiency and yield of wheat by deficit irrigation: a global meta-analysis. Agric Water Manag. 2020;228:105906. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agwat.2019.105906
  15. 15. Vafa ZN, Sohrabi Y, Mirzaghaderi G, Heidari G, Rizwan M, Sayyed RZ. Effect of bio-fertilizers and seaweed extract on growth and yield of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) under different irrigation regimes: two-year field study. Chemosphere. 2024;364:143068. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2024.143068
  16. 16. Yang B, Fu P, Lu J, Ma F, Sun X, Fang Y. Regulated deficit irrigation: an effective way to solve the shortage of agricultural water for horticulture. Stress Biol. 2022;2(1):28. https://doi.org/10.1007/s44154-022-00050-5
  17. 17. Sinha A, Singh A, Banerjee A, Venkatesh AS, Pasupuleti S. Developing an efficient and optimized irrigation plan under varying water-supply regimes. Ain Shams Eng J. 2025;16(10327):2. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.asej.2025.103272
  18. 18. Zamani A, Emam Y, Edalat M. Response of bread wheat cultivars to terminal water stress and cytokinin application from a grain phenotyping perspective. Agro. 2024;14(1):182. https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy14010182
  19. 19. El-Aty A, Mohamed S, Gad KM, Hefny YA, Shehata MO. Performance of some wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) genotypes and their drought tolerance indices under normal and water stress. Egypt J Soil Sci. 2024;64(1):19–30. https://doi.org/10.21608/ejss.2023.234140.1657
  20. 20. Pandey A, Khobra R, Mamrutha HM, Wadhwa Z, Krishnappa G, Singh G, Singh GP. Elucidating the drought responsiveness in wheat genotypes. Sustain. 2022;14(7):3957. https://doi.org/10.3390/su14073957
  21. 21. Bărdaş M, Rusu T, Popa A, Russu F, Șimon A, Chețan F, Topan C. Effect of foliar fertilization on the physiological parameters, yield and quality indices of the winter wheat. Agro. 2023;14(1):73. https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy14010073
  22. 22. Ferrari M, Bertin V, Bolla PK, Valente F, Panozzo A, Giannelli G, Vamerali T. Application of the full nitrogen dose at decreasing rates by foliar spraying versus conventional soil fertilization in common wheat. J Agric Food Res. 2025;19:101602. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jafr.2024.101602
  23. 23. El-Hendawy S, Mohammed N, Al-Suhaibani N. Enhancing wheat growth, physiology, yield and water use efficiency under deficit irrigation by integrating foliar application of salicylic acid and nutrients at critical growth stages. Plants. 2024;13(11):1490. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13111490
  24. 24. Shoormij F, Mirlohi A, Saeidi G, Sabzalian MR, Shirvani M. Zinc foliar application may alleviate drought stress in wheat species through physiological changes. Plant Stress. 2024;13:100534. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.stress.2024.100534
  25. 25. Peirce CA, McBeath TM, Priest C, McLaughlin MJ. The timing of application and inclusion of a surfactant are important for absorption and translocation of foliar phosphoric acid by wheat leaves. Front Plant Sci. 2019;10:1532. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2019.01532
  26. 26. Andrade JJD, Oliveira ECA, Lima AMDS, Amorim GPS, Oliveira ES, Freire FJ, et al. Foliar fertilization improves the nitrogen nutrition of sugarcane. Agric. 2024;14(11):1984. https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture14111984
  27. 27. Damalas CA, Koutroubas SD. Potassium supply for improvement of cereals growth under drought: A review. Agron J. 2024;116(6):3368‒82. https://doi.org/10.1002/agj2.21703
  28. 28. Liaqat S, Chhabra S, Saffeullah P, Iqbal N, Siddiqi TO. Role of potassium in drought adaptation: insights into physiological and biochemical characteristics of plants. In: Iqbal N, Umar S, editors. Role of Potassium in Abiotic Stress. Springer Nature; 2022. p. 143–62 https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-4461-0_7
  29. 29. Kumar D, Ramesh K, Jinger D, Rajpoot SK. Effect of potassium fertilization on water productivity, irrigation water use efficiency and grain quality under direct seeded rice-wheat cropping system. J Plant Nutr. 2022;45(13). https://doi.org/10.1080/01904167.2022.2046071
  30. 30. Celi GE, Gratão PL, Lanza MGDB, Dos Reis AR. Physiological and biochemical roles of ascorbic acid on mitigation of abiotic stresses in plants. Plant Physiol Biochem. 2023;202:107970. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.plaphy.2023.107970
  31. 31. Hasanuzzaman M, Bhuyan MB, Nahar K, Hossain MS, Mahmud JA, Hossen MS, Fujita M. Potassium: a vital regulator of plant responses and tolerance to abiotic stresses. Agro. 2018;8(3):31. https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy8030031
  32. 32. Panse VG, Sukhatme PV. Statistical methods for agricultural workers. Indian Council of Agricultural Research Publication; 1985:87‒9.
  33. 33. Fan Y, Liu J, Zhao J, Ma Y, Li Q. Effects of delayed irrigation during the jointing stage on the photosynthetic characteristics and yield of winter wheat under different planting patterns. Agric Water Manag. 2019;221:371‒76. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agwat.2019.05.004
  34. 34. Si Z, Qin A, Liang Y, Duan A, Gao Y. A review on regulation of irrigation management on wheat physiology, grain yield and quality. Plants. 2023;12(4):692. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12040692
  35. 35. Ali S, Xu Y, Jia Q, Ma X, Ahmad I, Adnan M, Jia Z. Interactive effects of plastic film mulching with supplemental irrigation on winter wheat photosynthesis, chlorophyll fluorescence and yield under simulated precipitation conditions. Agric Water Manag. 2018;207:1‒14. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agwat.2018.05.013
  36. 36. Wang C, Zhao J, Feng Y, Shang M, Bo X, Gao Z, Chu Q. Optimizing tillage method and irrigation schedule for greenhouse gas mitigation, yield improvement and water conservation in wheat–maize cropping systems. Agric Water Manag. 2021;248:106762. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agwat.2021.106762
  37. 37. Ahmed K, Shabbir G, Ahmed M. Exploring drought tolerance for germination traits of diverse wheat genotypes at seedling stage: a multivariate analysis approach. BMC Plant Biol. 2025;25(1):390. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12870-025-06345-9
  38. 38. Bhattacharya A, Bhattacharya A. Dry matter production, partitioning and seed yield under soil water deficit: a review. In: Soil Water Deficit and Physiological Issues in Plants. Springer Nature; 2021. p. 585‒702 https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-33-6276-5_7
  39. 39. Saeed B, Zafar-Ul-Hye M, Malik N, Masood S, Iftikhar Y. Exploring the efficacy of various ascorbic acid dosages and application methods in alleviating drought stress in sunflower cultivation. Pak J Bot. 2025;57(3):811‒19. https://doi.org/10.30848/PJB2025-3(39)
  40. 40. El-Beltagi HS, Sulaiman ME, Ullah S, Shah S. Effects of ascorbic acid and/or α-tocopherol on agronomic and physio-biochemical traits of oat (Avena sativa L.) under drought condition. Agro. 2022;12(10):2296. https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12102296
  41. 41. Wang C, García-Caparros P, Li Z, Chen F. A comprehensive review on plant ascorbic acid. Trop Plants. 2024;3(1). https://doi.org/10.48130/tp-0024-0042
  42. 42. Sharma L, Roy S, Satya P, Alam NM, Goswami T, Barman D, Mitra J. Exogenous ascorbic acid application ameliorates drought stress through improvement in morpho-physiology, nutrient dynamics, stress metabolite production and antioxidant activities recovering cellulosic fibre production in jute (Corchorus olitorius L.). Ind Crops Prod. 2024;217:118808. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.indcrop.2024.118808
  43. 43. Khadr SA, El-Hamamsy SM, El-Khamissi HA, Saad ZH. The effect of ascorbic acid treatment on wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) seedlings under drought stress. Egypt J Appl Sci. 2021;36(1):30‒42. https://doi.org/10.21608/ejas.2021.152334
  44. 44. Cakmak I, Rengel Z. Potassium may mitigate drought stress by increasing stem carbohydrates and their mobilization into grains. J Plant Physiol. 2024;154325. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jplph.2024.154325
  45. 45. Chowdhury MSN, Sani MNH, Siddique AB, Hossain MS, Yong JWH. Synergistic effects of biochar and potassium co-application on growth, physiological attributes and antioxidant defense mechanisms of wheat under water deficit conditions. Plant Stress. 2024;12:100452. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.stress.2024.100452
  46. 46. Li Y, Yin M, Li L, Zheng J, Yuan X, Wen Y. Optimized potassium application rate increases foxtail millet grain yield by improving photosynthetic carbohydrate metabolism. Front Plant Sci. 2022;13:1044065. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2022.1044065
  47. 47. Seadh SE, Abido WAE, Ghazy SE. Consequence of sprinkling with nano zinc and nano selenium as well as potassium silicate on yields and excellence of wheat grains under water stress conditions. J Plant Prod. 2021;12(12):1307–12. https://doi.org/10.21608/jpp.2021.219999
  48. 48. Ghanem HE, Al-Farouk MO, Shehata AS. Growth, physiological performance and yield traits responses in bread wheat cultivars under drought, sprinkler irrigation and potassium levels conditions. J Plant Prod. 2024;15(6):311‒27. https://doi.org/10.21608/jpp.2024.294034.1344
  49. 49. Singh N, Bhardwaj RD. Ascorbic acid alleviates water deficit induced growth inhibition in wheat seedlings by modulating levels of endogenous antioxidants. Biologia. 2016;71(4):402‒13. https://doi.org/10.1515/biolog-2016-0050
  50. 50. Hafez EM, Gharib HS. Effect of exogenous application of ascorbic acid on physiological and biochemical characteristics of wheat under water stress. Int J Plant Prod. 2016;10(4):579‒96. https://doi.org/10.22069/ijpp.2016.3051

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.