Salicylic acid exogenous application enhances durum wheat growth under water stress conditions
1 Field Crops Laboratory, National Agricultural Research Institute of Tunisia, University of Carthage, Tunis, Ariana 2049, Tunisia.
2 Laboratory of Support for the Sustainability of Agricultural Production Systems in the Northwest Region LR14AGR04, University of Jendouba, Higher School of Agriculture of Kef, Boulifa, Kef.
3 National Institute of Field Crops, Boussalem, Tunisia .
4Research Laboratory of Agricultural Production Systems and Sustainable Development, University of Carthage, Tunisia.
5 Higher School of Agriculture of Mateur, University of Carthage, Street Tabarka-7030 Mateur, Tunisia, .
6 Genetics and Cereal Breeding Laboratory, LR14AGR01, National Agronomic Institute of Tunisia, University of Carthage, 1082 Tunis Mahrajene, Tunisia.
† These authors contributed equally to this work
Research Article
GSC Advanced Research and Reviews, 2025, 22(02), 017–026.
Article DOI: 10.30574/gscarr.2025.22.2.0027
Publication history:
Received on 10 December 2024; revised on 31 January 2025; accepted on 02 February 2025
Abstract:
Drought is one of the major abiotic stresses affecting agricultural production. This stress has negative effects on the quality, production and productivity of durum wheat (Triticum durum Desf.), especially in arid and semi-arid areas. This work focused on i) the effect of seed priming by salicylic acid (SA) on durum wheat germination under drought stress conditions induced by polyethylene glycol (PEG6000). Four treatments were applied (T0: PEG- , AS-; T1: PEG- , AS+; T2: PEG+, AS- ; T3: PEG+, AS+) and ii) the effect of SA foliar application on the physiological traits of durum wheat varieties conducted in rainfall condition in a semi-arid environment. Two treatments were applied (drought stress, drought stress + salicylic acid). The results showed that seed priming by SA improved the germination process and seedling growth of durum wheat under water deficit conditions. The highest values of germination percentage (76.66%), vigor index (398.12) and shoot length (5.37 cm) were recorded with SA seed priming. In field experiment, obtained results showed that the highest values of relative water content (68.50%), leaf area (28.97 cm2) and membrane stability index (86.50%) were recorded with SA foliar application. Thus, the use of SA could be recommended under water stress conditions, as a new approach in integrated drought management.
Keywords:
Durum wheat; drought; seed priming; salicylic acid
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