Some Biochemical and Biomass Responses of Wheat [Triticum aestivum L.] to Suboptimal Water Supply and Different Potassium Rates

Abstract

Nowadays, the most limited natural resource is water. Therefore, researchers have been searching for ways to enhance drought resistance as well as plant growth under limited water supply. In this study, the potassium application effect under water shortage on some biomass and biochemical parameters on the wheat (Hawler-2) genotype, was examined in 2021–2022. Irrigation levels were kept at 100% and 30% of field capacity and different doses (0, 150, and 300 kg ha-¹) of potassium were applied to the soil, arranged as a factorial experiment in CRD design with 4 repetitions. The results demonstrated that drought reduced biomass features such as (length of root and shoot, root shoot dry weight), increased proline, glycine betaine, soluble sugars, MDA, and H202, while application of potassium enhanced accumulation of the above mentioned osmoprotectants and improved root and shoot length along with root shoot dry weights and root shoot ratio and led to a reduction of lipid peroxidation and H202 content. Hence, it can be said that K might perform an effective role in dropping the undesirable effects of drought in wheat plants.