Efficacy of pusa hydrogel and chitosan on wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) physiological and biochemical parameters under water deficit condition

Abstract

Drought often causes serious problems in wheat production areas, it is one of the environmental stresses, is the most significant factor restricting plant production in the majority of agricultural fields of the world. Wheat is generally grown on arid-agricultural fields. A field study was conducted on Central Agricultural field, Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture, Technology & Sciences, U.P on wheat variety (HD-2967). Hydrogel and Chitosan were in use under different concentration to estimate the effect of hydrogel and chitosan on growth and yield of wheat under water deficit condition as hydrogel can retain large quantity of water and chitosan can reduce transpirational loss of water. In a twenty-one treatments and three replications along with control were laid out in randomized block design where Hydrogel (100%, 75%, 50% and 25%) and Chitosan (100%, 75% and 50%) were used. Growth, yield, physiological and biochemical parameters were observed. Result on crop growth and yield under water deficit condition was observed. Treatment T9 (100% PH and 100% CHT) showed best results, however T10 was statistically at par with T9, while T11 was found non-significant with T0.