JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BIOLOGY AND AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES, vol.5, no.2, pp.163-172, 2017 (ESCI)
In the present study, field experiments were carried out during the cropping seasons of 2012 and 2013 to examine the adverse effects of deficit irrigation on canola productivity and determining the role of ascorbic acid and salicylic acid (both of 200 ppm) in alleviating the adverse effects under deficit irrigation. Further, effects of these phytochemicals on canola growth, yield and quality characteristics were studied by imposing three irrigation intervals viz, 25 (I-1), 35 (I-2) and 45 (I-3) days during both the growing seasons. The results of the study showed that the growth characteristics such as chlorophyll content and relative water content were decreased under the increase in irrigation intervals. Similarly, Yield and its components including plant height, silica number/plant, number of branches, seed number/silica, seed yield/plant, seed yield / ha as well as, seed oil content of canola plant were decreased with increasing the intervals of irrigations. Application of both of phytochemical (salicylic acid and ascorbic acid) not only reversed the negative impact of water deficit conditions but also improved the growth and yield parameters of canola plant. However, the applications of antioxidants were more effective under the second irrigation intervals (12) for both the cropping seasons. The maximum seed yield / ha, protein and oil yield was achieved by the applications of both antioxidants combined with irrigation every 35 days. From results of this study, it can be conclude that application of antioxidants could mitigate the harmful effects of deficit irrigation of canola. Accordingly, antioxidants supplementation could enhance the growth, yield and quality traits of canola under the increase of irrigation intervals in North Nile Delta.