Foliar Spray of Silicon Confers Drought Tolerance in Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) by Enhancing Morpho-Physiological and Antioxidant Potential

Drought stress is one of the most severe environmental stresses and a significant contributor to yield reductions in agricultural crops. Several agronomic approaches are recommended by researchers later followed farmers minimize drastic effects drought. However, exogenous application plant growth regulators combination with mineral nutrients recent, innovative strategy overcome damaging Here, we report study aimed at investigating protective exogenously applied silicon (using potassium silicate or K2Si2O5 as source) improve drought tolerance wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) grown under field conditions. The present was carried out Agronomic Research Farm area, Faculty Agriculture Environmental Sciences, Islamia University Bahawalpur. experimental laid randomized complete block design split plot arrangements (RCBD-Split), four repeats. treatments included: T0 (control, water spray), T1, T2, T3 i.e. foliar solutions rate 1, 2 3%, respectively. results showed that significantly affected decreasing chlorophyll-a (1.07), chlorophyll-b (0.49), total chlorophyll contents (1.62), flag leaf area (38.33 cm2), height (100.17 cm), number nodes per (3.91), tiller (92.42), tillers m?2 (191.17), spike length (7.58 spikes (10.25), grains (25.08), 1000-grain weight (36.66 g), dry (309.75 biological (23,424 kg/ha), grain (4564.2 kg/ha). On contrary, 2% considerably reduced drought-induced damages enhancing (1.21), (0.64), (1.92), (45.25 (123.50 (5.25), (99.42), (276.26), (12.92 (14.25), (38.33), (44.33 (385.00 (24,000 (5074.8 These findings suggest could be utilized rapid, easy effective approach reduce on yield.