The effect of drought stress and super absorbent polymer (A200) on agronomical traits of sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) under field condition.

In many areas of Iran, the reproductive growth stage of sunflower is exposed to the drought stress. Therefore, the investigation of irrigation management in the farm was necessary for increasing irrigation efficiency and decreasing water loss. The objective of the present study was to investigate the effect of different amounts of super absorbent polymer (A200) and levels of drought stress on morphological characteristics, such as: head diameter, stem diameter, plant height, 100-seed weight, seed yield and physiological characteristics, such as: relative water content (RWC), chlorophyll concentration of sunflower (cv. Master) under farm conditions. The experiment was carried out as a split plot based on randomized complete block design with three replicates. Three irrigation levels (irrigation after 6, 10 and 14 days) and five amounts of super absorbent polymer (0, 75, 150, 225 and 300 kg/ha) were set as main and sub-factors, respectively. Polymer was added at the fourteen leaf stage of sunflower to soil in deepness of root development. At this same stage, drought stress was applied. Polynomial models of each traits based on the ANOVA were fitted. The results indicated that drought stress has decreased significantly all the measured traits. In this study, seed yield has shown a significant decrease. After 6 days, irrigation has resulted in higher yields than other irrigation intervals. The highest seed yield was related to 300 kg/ha polymer application and the lowest one was related to irrigation after 14 days with no application of polymer. Regarding the limitation of water resources, super absorbent polymer could be a useful strategy for the sustainability of yield under drought stress in sunflower.

[1]  S. Arabia,et al.  Variations in Growth and Pigment Compositon of Sunflower Varieties under Early Season Drought Stress , 2008 .

[2]  S. Rauf.  Breeding sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) for drought tolerance , 2008 .

[3]  A. Hosseini,et al.  Effects of drought stress and defoliation on sunflower (Helianthus annuus) in controlled conditions , 2007 .

[4]  Mingcai Zhang,et al.  Uniconazole-induced tolerance of soybean to water deficit stress in relation to changes in photosynthesis, hormones and antioxidant system. , 2007, Journal of plant physiology.

[5]  A. Karimi,et al.  YIELD AND WATER USE EFFICIENCY OF FORAGE CORN AS INFLUENCED BY SUPERABSORBENT POLYMER APPLICATION IN SOILS WITH DIFFERENT TEXTURES , 2007 .

[6]  L. Gentzbittel,et al.  Genetic variability for physiological traits under drought conditions and differential expression of water stress-associated genes in sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) , 2006, Theoretical and Applied Genetics.

[7]  J. A. Koupaei,et al.  EFFECTS OF A HYDROPHILIC POLYMER ON THE FIELD PERFORMANCE OF AN ORNAMENTAL PLANT (CUPRESSUS ARIZONICA) UNDER REDUCED IRRIGATION REGIMES , 2006 .

[8]  O. Mounzer,et al.  Evapotranspiration and seed yield of field grown soybean under deficit irrigation conditions , 2005 .

[9]  Z. M. Turan,et al.  Responses of sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) to full and limited irrigation at different growth stages , 2004 .

[10]  Yksel Kele.  PROLINE AND ABA LEVELS IN TWO SUNFLOWER GENOTYPES SUBJECTED TO WATER STRESS , 2004 .

[11]  Z. Hamid,et al.  EFFECTS OF THE REDUCTION OF DROUGHT STRESS USING SUPPLEMENTARY IRRIGATION FOR SUNFLOWER (HELIANTHUS ANNUUS) IN DRY FARMING CONDITIONS , 2003 .

[12]  S. Driscoll,et al.  Effects of water deficit and its interaction with CO(2) supply on the biochemistry and physiology of photosynthesis in sunflower. , 2002, Journal of experimental botany.

[13]  A. Hall,et al.  Osmotic adjustment and yield maintenance under drought in sunflower , 2002 .

[14]  Bingru Huang,et al.  Protein Alterations in Tall Fescue in Response to Drought Stress and Abscisic Acid. , 2002, Crop science.

[15]  Tahir M.H.N.,et al.  EVALUATION OF SUNFLOWER (HELIANTHUS ANNUUS L) INBRED LINES FOR DROUGHT TOLERANCE , 2001 .

[16]  A. Ahmadi.  Stomatal and nonstomatal limitations of photosynthesis under water stress conditions in wheat plant. , 2000 .

[17]  C. Lovisolo,et al.  Effects of water stress on vessel size and xylem hydraulic conductivity in Vitis vinifera L. , 1998 .

[18]  J. Woodhouse,et al.  EFFECTS OF SOLUBE SALTS AND FERTILIZERS ON WATER STORAGE BY GELFORMING SOIL CONDITIONERS , 1991 .

[19]  R. Evans,et al.  Calcium inhibition of polyacrylamide gel hydration is partially reversible by potassium , 1991 .

[20]  H. Bezuidenhout,et al.  The Influence of Plant Water Stress on Net Photosynthesis and Yield of Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) , 1990 .

[21]  Michael S. Johnson,et al.  Effects of superabsorbent polyacrylamides on efficiency of water use by crop seedlings , 1990 .

[22]  J. Boyer.  Cell enlargement and growth-induced water potentials , 1988 .

[23]  Michael S. Johnson,et al.  Structure and functioning of water‐storing agricultural polyacrylamides , 1985 .