Agricultura (Nov 2017)

EFFECT OF WATER-SUPERABSORBENT AND DROUGHT ON SEEDLING ESTABLISHMENT AND GROWTH IN SOME WARM SEASON PLANTS

  • Hassan Heidari,
  • Ali Hosseini,
  • Iraj Nosratti,
  • Mahmood Khoramivafa

DOI
https://doi.org/10.15835/agrisp.v103i3-4.12389
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 103, no. 3-4

Abstract

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Drought is one of the most important abiotic stresses in Iran’s agriculture and annually causes many damages to plant productions. This study was designed to determine effect of water-superabsorbent polymer and drought on seedling establishment and growth in some warm season plants (foxtail millet, dill and fenugreek). This experiment was conducted as a pot experiment at Campus of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Razi University. In the pot experiment, effect of water-superabsornbent polymer (0, 0.02, 0.04 and 0.08 grams per kilogram of soil) and drought (favorable and long-term irrigation) on warm season plants were investigated. Results showed that by increasing water-superabsorbent polymer application, seedling fresh weight, seedling dry weight, seedling height, emergence percentage and rate were increased. Drought reduced mentioned traits, but water-superabsorbent was able to reduce drought negative effects partially. Regarding results, for high emergence in foxtail millet, fenugreek and dill, application of 0.08 g of superabsorbent per kilogram of soil is usefull, especially under drought condition.

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