PJB-2023-594
Water deficit responses and inducing tolerance by vermicompost in wheat for better performance based on stress tolerance traits: Morpho-physiological, biochemical and nutritional defense mechanisms
Ali Ahmad
Abstract
Drought stress causes continuous menace to many morphological and physiological events in wheat seedlings. When there is a water shortage, applying vermicompost to wheat plants may have positive consequences. The objective of the present research is to determine rice straw vermicompost protective effects on the nutritional, biochemical, morphological and physiological characteristics of wheat seedlings under diverse levels of drought. Three different drought levels [control (CK), 70% field capacity (FC), moderate drought (MD, 45% FC), severe drought (SD, 30% FC)]. Four vermicompost levels (RVC-0, control without vermicompost; RVC-1, vermicompost application at 4 t ha-1, RVC-2, vermicompost application at 6 t ha-1; RVC-3, vermicompost application at 8 t ha-1) were applied for two diverse wheat varieties, Faisalabad-08 and Galaxy-13. Vermicompost application positively influenced all traits under well-watered as well as drought stress conditions. RVC-2 recorded statistically higher values for growth traits i.e., root and shoot fresh and dry weights of both cultivars under moderate and severe drought stress. Maximum stomatal conductance and leaf chlorophyll content were statistically observed in both cultivars when vermicompost was used at 6 t ha-1 (RVC-2). Indeed, under severe drought conditions, on average of two cultivars, RVC-2 treatment increased stomatal conductance by 14.38%, sub-stomatal CO2 concentration by 11.36%, total chlorophyll content by 11.55%, carotenoid contents by 7.63%, and ascorbate peroxidase activity by 26.74%, over control. Under both well-watered and dry environments, RVC-2 treatment also considerably aided the increase of vital nutrients like N, P, and K. Overall, the results showed that Faisalabad-08 was a cultivar that was relatively resistant to drought stress since it had improved morphological, physiological and biochemical characteristics under drought circumstances. In conclusion, the adverse impacts of drought on wheat were effectively mitigated by the application of rice straw vermicompost, especially RVC-2 (6 t ha-1).
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