Effects of superabsorbent and irrigation regime on seedling growth characteristics of barley (Hordeum vulgare L.)

Abstract

Greenhouse experiment was carried out to study the effects of superabsorbent and water deficit stress on seedling growth of barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) in Urmia University of Iran. Three amounts of superabsorbent polymer (0 (S1), 2 (S2) and 4 g (S3) were mixed with 500 g soil before sowing, and four levels of irrigation regimes (irrigation at 20 (I1), 40 (I2), 60 (I3) and 80% (I3) field capacity) were set as treatments. The root length, root volume, root and shoot dry weight, plant height, leaf length, leaf width, SPAD and root-shoot ratio were affected by treatments. Means comparisons indicated that the highest root length (19 cm) observed in the I4 irrigation regime and the lowest of it (16.18 cm) obtained in I1 condition. Barley plants that received 4 g and no superabsorbent had the utmost (1.13 cm) and lowest (0.54 cm) root volume, respectively. Whereas plant situated in I4 and I1 irrigation regimes produced greatest and smallest amount amount of shoot dry weight and SPAD. The maximum (12.83 cm) and minimum (8.33 cm) leaf length was obtained from S3I3 and S1I1 condition, respectively. Generally, the results showed the most of measured barley seedling traits in irrigation at 40 % field capacity (I2) were the equal with I3 and I4 irrigation regimes treatments, which indicated the resistance of barley seedling to the water deficit stress. Also, we found that the improving of root dry weight and root volume of barley seedling along with increasing in the superabsorbent application.