Hydrogen Peroxide Supplementation in Irrigation Water Alleviates Drought Stress and Boosts Growth and Productivity of Potato Plants

Salama A Abd Elhady,Hany G Abd El-Gawad,Amr Elkelish,Soumya Mukherjee,Reham Farag,Huda A Ibrahim,Nashwa Abu El-Azm,Mohamed F M Ibrahim,Ehab Azab,Adil A Gobouri

doi:10.3390/su13020899

Abstract

The present investigations aim to decipher the beneficial role of hydrogen peroxide-supplemented irrigation in imparting drought tolerance and promotion plant growth and yield of potato plants grown under two different irrigation regimes. Hydrogen peroxide injection (oxygenation) was applied at 0, 300, and 600 ppm through subsurface irrigation regimes on potato performance grown in heavy clay soil. The results indicated that oxygenation of irrigation water boosted the plant′s vegetative growth and productivity, especially at 600 ppm hydrogen peroxide coupled with deficit irrigation. Root respiration, leaf biomass, chlorophyll content, and leaf osmotic status was observed to be improved in the presence of oxygenated irrigation. A similar trend was recorded on macro-elements (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and calcium content), proline, and soluble carbohydrates content of leaf along with catalase enzyme activity. Individual tuber weight, tuber number and tuber yield per plant and hectare recorded higher values as responding to oxygenated irrigation (300 and 600 ppm) of water within the optimum irrigation level. While the highest value of water use efficiency (WUE) was obtained by pairing deficit irrigation with 600 ppm oxygenated water. Thus, the present work provides new insights into the importance of oxygenated irrigation in obtaining optimum yield and field performance in potato plants subjected to deficit irrigation in clayey-loamy soils.

Highlights

Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) is a starch-yielding staple food crop that possesses immense economic and nutritive value
Analysis of variance (ANOVA; Table 4) showed that all growth parameters excpt number of branches, root respiration, N, P, K, Ca, leaf relative water content, leaf relative water deficit, leaf osmotic potential, proline, total carbohydrates, catalase (CAT), tuber yield and water use efficiency were significantly responded to the application of H2 O2 with irrigation
The present work demonstrates the role of H2 O2 injection (300 and 600 ppm) in the improvement of plant growth, osmolyte accumulation nutrient acquisition and tuber yield of potato plants subjected to two irrigation regimes

Summary

Introduction

Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) is a starch-yielding staple food crop that possesses immense economic and nutritive value. Among the various starch-yielding crops, it is ranked fourth after rice, wheat, and maize and has a substantial and increasing role for saving food worldwide [1]. It is grown in more than 100 countries worldwide [2] where. Sustainability 2021, 13, 899 it can thrive and produce tubers in different environments and a wide range of soil [3]. Potato plant roots are shallow and do not spread far outside the plowed surface layer of the soil [5]. The shallow-rooted crops are prone to a significant yield loss when exposed to drought stress [6]. The root volume and architecture is known to directly affect the strength of plant growth, productivity, and tolerance to different stresses, especially associated with the soil, such as soil compaction, drought, and salt stress [7]

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion