Saadi M. Al-Ghrairi*(1), Amer A. Jawad(1), Hasan H. Mahdi(1), Raghad S. Mouhamad(1), Ghassan S. Al-Azawi(1) and Sahar. A Khudhier(1)
(1). Soil & Water Resources Center, Directorate of Agricultural Research, Ministry of Science and Technology, Baghdad, Iraq.
(* Corresponding Author: Dr. Saadi Al-Ghrairi, E-mail: sadialgreary@yahoo.com)
Received: 27/ 02 /2022 Accepted: 27/04 /2022
Abstract:
In this study a field experiment was carried out during the two growing seasons (2013-2014 and 2014-2015) at Al-Tuwaitha Research Station, it is located 30 km southeast of Baghdad, for cultivation of wheat crop in calcareous clay loam soil, and its salinity (10.12 dS.m-1). Four levels of foliar fertilization were used with calcium at (0, 1000, 2000 and 3000 mgL-1) named F0, F1, F2 and F3 respectively. Saline water (5.40 dSm-1) was used to irrigate plants. The results showed a significant increase of K/Na, Ca/Na, and Mg/Na ratio in the wheat leaves as well as the total carbohydrate and proline levels. Also, calcium application significantly affects the dry matter and grain yield of wheat crop, and the increase in the dry matter ranged between 5.18 to 12.20 %, and in grain yield between 12.86 to 26.20 % compared to the control F0. Ca treatment of 3000 mg/L(F3) was significantly superior to other treatments in grain yield of wheat compared without calcium foliar application(F0).This clearly showed the positive and effective role of calcium in osmotic adjustment and increased wheat tolerance to salinity and improve its yield.
Key words: Calcium, proline, wheat, salt-affected soil.
Full paper in English: pdf