Effect of molybdenum (Mo) spraying on morphophysiological characteristics of wheat (Triticum aestivum) under drought stress condition

Subject Areas :

Amir Hossain  Ghaffarian ¹ (M.Sc. of Agronomy, Islamic Azad University Varamin Branch, Varamin-Pishva. Iran.)
Reza  Zarghami ² (Biotechnology Research Institute-Karaj-Iran)
Behnam  Zand ³ (Agricultural and Natural Resources Research Center, Varamin, Iran)

Received: 2012-11-10 Accepted : 2013-04-19 Published : 2013-11-22

Keywords: Drought stress, yield, Wheat, Molybdenum, Mo spraying,

Abstract :

An experiment was conducted in order to evaluate the effects of Mo spraying on quantitative and qualitative characteristics of wheat grain yield under water stress condition, in varamin agricultural research center in 2010-11. a split plot layout within randomized complete block design with three replications were used. main plots were three irrigation treatments (normal irrigation, non-irrigation at start of grain filling stage and non-irrigation at start of flowering stage) and sub plots were Mo spraying with three levels including spraying with pure water, Mo spraying with 0.5% concentration and Mo spraying with 1% concentration. The result showed that, grain yield and many of yield components affected by drought stress, significantly, on reproductive growth stage. Grain yield had significantly decreased by light and severe stress by 14.6% and 26.7% respectively. The most effect of stress at filling stage treatment were on thousand kernel weight leaf area duration and day to maturity, where as, number grain per spike and number of fertile ear affected with stress at flowering stage treatment. Severe stress treatment had a signifinant effect on  maximum amount of LAI and CGR. Leaf area duration decreased for both two stress treatments and leaf defoliation started so earlier than normal treatment. Mo spraying has significant effects on grain yield and many yield components and also caused a significant decrease of water stress damages. 1% concentration of Mo spraying caused significant increase in total kernel weight, pedancle length, number of fertile spike and number of kernel per spike by 6.7%, 13.9%, 5.7%, 6.5% and 17.4% respectively. Day to maturity increased for 4 days in this treatment. Mo sprying with 1% concentration increased the grain yield from 5699 kg/hac to 6065 kg/hac significantly. There was no significant difference between to spraying concentrations (0.5% and 1%) for number of kernel per spike, total kernel weight, pedancle length, grain yield, biological yoeld, harvest index, protein yield and protein percentage. Also, the effect of Mo spraying was not significant for biological yield and harvest index. The manner of LAI and CGR changes during wheat growth period had significantly affected by Mo spraying. Protein percentage of wheat grain increased in both two irrigation and Mo soraying treatments.