Seed priming with mepiquat chloride and foliar applications of salicylic acid and proline improve the adverse effects of water deficit in cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.)

Abstract

We aimed to investigate the effects of some seed priming and foliar applications on stress prevention in cotton under deficit irrigation conditions. Seed priming with mepiquat chloride (PIX) and foliar applications of salicylic acid (SA) and proline (PRO) were tested at three levels of irrigation at 25, 50, and 100% of field capacity. Plant height, boll number, fiber length and fiber strength were significantly affected by the interaction of irrigation level × treatment. The effects of irrigation level and treatment were significant for boll weight, seed index, seed cotton yield and lint yield. When deficit irrigation conditions (25%) were compared with full irrigation, plant height decreased by 21.6 %, boll number by 18.1 %, boll weight by 26.0%, seed index by 5.8%, seed cotton yield by 25.6% and lint yield by 24.6%. Seed priming with PIX and foliar application of PRO produced significantly higher seed cotton and lint yields, whereas SA application had favourable fiber quality parameters under deficit irrigation conditions. PRO slightly increased fiber fineness. Foliar application of SA positively affected chlorophyll content (SPAD) and leaf area index (LAI) under deficit irrigation. In conclusion, it was recommended that all three practices could be successfully used to alleviate negative impacts under deficit irrigation conditions.

Keywords

• Mepiquat chloride
• Proline
• Salicylic acid
• Deficit irrigation
• Foliar application
• Seed priming

Mepiquat chloride ile tohum ön uygulaması, salisilik asit ve prolinin yaprak uygulamaları pamukta (Gossypium hirsutum L.) kısıntılı sulamanın olumsuz etkilerini iyileştirir

Öz

Pamukta su kısıntısı koşullarında bazı tohum ön uygulaması ve yaprak uygulamalarının stresi önleme üzerine etkilerinin araştırılması amaçlanmıştır. Mepiquat klorid (PİX) ile tohum ön uygulaması ve salisilik asit (SA) ile prolinin (PRO) yaprak uygulamaları tarla kapasitesine göre düzenlenen %100, %50 ve %25 sulama konularında test edildi. Bitki boyu, koza sayısı, lif uzunluğu ve lif dayanıklılığı özellikleri sulama seviyesi × uygulama etkileşiminden önemli ölçüde etkilenmiştir. Koza ağırlığı, tohum indeksi, kütlü pamuk verimi ve lif verimi için sulama düzeyi ve uygulamanın etkileri önemliydi. Kısıntılı sulama koşulları (%25) tam sulama ile karşılaştırıldığında, bitki boyu %21,6, koza sayısı %18,1, koza ağırlığı %26,0, tohum indeksi %5,8, kütlü pamuk verimi %25,6 ve lif verimi %24,6 oranında azalmıştır. PİX ile tohum ön uygulama ve PRO'nun yapraktan uygulanması önemli ölçüde daha yüksek kütlü pamuk ve lif verimi sağlarken, SA uygulaması kısıntılı sulama koşulları altında yüksek lif kalitesi parametrelerine sahip olmuştur. PRO'nun lif inceliğini az da olsa artırdığı tespit edilmiştir. SA’nın yapraktan uygulanması, kısıntılı sulama koşullarında klorofil içeriğini (SPAD) ve yaprak alan indeksini (LAI) olumlu yönde etkilemiştir. Sonuç olarak, her üç uygulamanın da kısıntılı sulama koşullarında olumsuz etkileri hafifletmek için başarıyla kullanılabileceği önerilmiştir.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Mepiquat chloride
• Prolin
• Salisilik asit
• Kısıntılı sulama
• Tohum ön uygulaması
• Yaprak uygulaması

References

1. Alam, A., Ullah, H., Cha-um, S., Tisarum, R., & Datta, A. (2021). Effect of seed priming with potassium nitrate on growth, fruit yield, quality and water productivity of cantaloupe under water-deficit stress. Scientia Horticulturae, 288, 110354. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scienta.2021.110354
2. Ali, Q., & Ashraf, M. (2011). Induction of drought tolerance in maize (Zea mays L.) due to exogenous application of trehalose: growth, photosynthesis, water relations and oxidative defence mechanism. Journal of Agronomy and Crop Science, 197 (4), 258-271. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1439-037X.2010.00463.x
3. Ali, Q., Ashraf, M., & Athar, H.U.R. (2007). Exogenously applied proline at different growth stages enhances growth of two maize cultivars grown under water deficit conditions. Pakistan Journal of Botany, 39 (4), 1133-1144.
4. Anandhi, S., & Ramanujam, M.P. (1997). Effect of salicylic acid on black gram (Vigna mungo) cultivars. Indian Journal of Plant Physiology, 2 (2), 138-141.
5. Anonymous (2024). Physical climate risk for global cotton production: Global analysis. Available from: https://www.acclimatise.uk.com [Accessed: January 22, 2024].
6. Ashraf, A.M., Ragavan, T., & Naziya Begam, S. (2020). Influence of in-situ soil moisture conservation practices with pusa hydrogel on physiological parameters of rainfed cotton. International Journal of Bio-resource and Stress Management, 11, 548-557.
7. Ayub, Q., Khan, S.M., Mehmood, A., Haq, N. U., Ali, S., Ahmad, T., Ayub, M.U., Hassan, M., Hayat, U., & Shoukat, M. F. (2020). Enhancement of physiological and biochemical attributes of okra by application of salicylic acid under drought stress. Journal of Horticultural Science and Technology, 3 (4), 113-119. https://doi.org/10.46653/jhst2034113
8. Aziz, M., Ashraf, M., & Javaid, M.M. (2018). Enhancement in cotton growth and yield using novel growth promoting substances under water limited conditions. Pakistan Journal of Botany, 50 (5), 1691-1701.

9. Balkcom, K.S., Reeves, D.W., Shaw, J.N., Burmester, C.H., & Curtis, L.M. (2006). Cotton yield and fiber quality from irrigated tillage systems in the Tennessee Valley. Agronomy Journal, 98 (3), 596-602. https://doi.org/10.2134/agronj2005.0219
10. Barros, T.C., de Mello Prado, R., Roque, C.G., Arf, M.V., & Vilela, R.G. (2019). Silicon and salicylic acid in the physiology and yield of cotton. Journal of Plant Nutrition, 42 (5), 458-465. https://doi.org/10.1080/01904167.2019.1567765
11. Basal, H., Dagdelen, N., Unay, A., & Yilmaz, E. (2009). Effects of deficit drip irrigation ratios on cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) yield and fibre quality. Journal of Agronomy and Crop Science, 195 (1), 19-29. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1439-037X.2008.00340.x
12. Cinar, V.M., Balci, S., & Unay, A. (2022). Interactive effects of salinity, drought, and heat stresses on physiological process and selection criteria for breeding stress-resistant cotton. In Advances in Plant Defence Mechanisms. IntechOpen. https://doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.105576
13. Dağdelen, N., Yılmaz, E., Sezgin, F., Gürbüz, T., & Akçay, S. (2005). Effects of different trickle irrigation regimes on cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) yield in Western Turkey. Pakistan of Biological Sciences, 8 (10), 1387-1391. https://doi.org/10.3923/pjbs.2005.1387.1391
14. Drwish, A.S., Fergani, M.A., Hamoda, S.A., & El-temsah, M.E. (2023). Effect of drought tolerance inducers on growth, productivity and some chemical properties of cotton under prolonging irrigation intervals. Egyptian Journal of Botany, 63 (1), 113-127. https://doi.org/10.21608/EJBO.2022.150010.2041
15. Duan, L.S., & Tian, X.L. (2011). Principle and technology of crop chemical regulation. In the chemical regulation technology of cotton (pp. 264-278). China Agricultural University Press Peking.
16. Ektiren, Y., & Değirmenci, H. (2018). Effect of deficit irrigation applications on plant leaf nutrition elements of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.). KSU Journal of Agriculture and Nature, 21 (5), 691-698. https://doi.org/10.18016/ksudobil.399149
17. El-Beltagi, H.S., Ahmed, S.H., Namich, A.A.M., & Abdel-Sattar, R.R. (2017). Effect of salicylic acid and potassium citrate on cotton plant under salt stress. Fresenius Environmental Bulletin, 26 (1A), 1091-1100.
18. Gadallah, M.A.A. (2000). Effects of indole-3-acetic acid and zinc on the growth, osmotic potential and soluble carbon and nitrogen components of soybean plants growing under water deficit. Journal of Arid Environments, 44 (4), 451-467. https://doi.org/10.1006/jare.1999.0610
19. Gikloo, S., & Elhami, B. (2012). Physiological and morphological responses of two almond cultivars to drought stress and cycocel. International Research Journal of Applied and Basic Sciences, 3 (5), 1000-1004.
20. Güngör, Y., Erözel, Z., & Yıldırım, O. (1996). Sulama. Ankara Üniversitesi Ziraat Fakültesi Yayınları No: 1443. Ders Kitabı: 424, 295 s, Ankara.
21. Hamani, A.K.M., Li, S., Chen, J., Amin, A.S., Wang, G., Xiaojun, S., Zain, M., & Gao, Y. (2021). Linking exogenous foliar application of glycine betaine and stomatal characteristics with salinity stress tolerance in cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) seedlings. BMC Plant Biology, 21 (1), 1-12. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12870-021-02892-z
22. Hayat, S., Ali, B., Hasan, S.A., & Ahmad, A. (2007). Brassinosteroid enhanced the level of antioxidants under cadmium stress in Brassica juncea. Environmental and Experimental Botany, 60 (1), 33-41. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envexpbot.2006.06.002
23. Heidaria, M., Moradia, M., Arminb, M., & Ameriana, M.R. (2022). Effects of foliar application of salicylic acid and calcium chloride on yield, yield components and some physiological parameters in cotton. Sustainability in Food and Agriculture (SFNA), 3 (1), 28-32. http://doi.org/10.26480/sfna.01.2022.28.32
24. Hu, W., Cao, Y., Loka, D.A., Harris-Shultz, K.R., Reiter, R.J., Ali, S., Liu, Y., & Zhou, Z. (2020). Exogenous melatonin improves cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) pollen fertility under drought by regulating carbohydrate metabolism in male tissues. Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, 151, 579-588. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.plaphy.2020.04.001
25. Hu, W., Gao, M., Du, K., Liu, Y., Xu, B., Wang, Y., Zhou, Z., & Zhao, W. (2023). Combined effect of elevated temperature and drought stress on carbohydrate metabolism of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) subtending leaves. Physiologia Plantarum, 175 (1), e13866. https://doi.org/10.1111/ppl.13866
26. Ibrahim, A.A., El-Waraky, E.A., & Gebaly, S.G. (2023). The physiological response of some cotton cultivars to water stress and growth inducers. Egyptian Journal of Botany, 63 (1), 141-157. https://doi.org/10.21608/ejbo.2022.150436.2045
27. Ibrahim, I.A.E., Yehia, W.M.B., El-Banna, A.A., & Marwa, H.S.H. (2021) Relation of irrigation intervals to yield and its components of some Egyptian cotton varieties. Journal of the Advances in Agricultural Researches, 26 (3), 174-183. https://doi.org/10.21608/JALEXU.2021.95088.1005
28. Iqbal, M., Nisar, N., Khan, R.S.A., & Hayat, K. (2005). Contribution of mepiquat chloride in drought tolerance in cotton seedlings. Asian Journal of Plant Sciences, 4, 530-532.
29. İsotçu, Ç., & Başal, H. (2016). The comparison of yield and fiber quality of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) progeny rows under full and deficit irrigation. Adnan Menderes University Faculty of Agriculture Journal of Agricultural Sciences, 13 (2), 71-77. https://doi.org/10.25308/aduziraat.294074
30. Johnson, J.R., & Saunders, J.R. (2002). Evaluation of chlorophyll meter for nitrogen management in cotton. Annual Report, 162-163. http://msucares.com/nmrec/reports/2002
31. Khalvandi, M., Siosemardeh, A., Roohi, E., & Keramati, S. (2021). Salicylic acid alleviated the effect of drought stress on photosynthetic characteristics and leaf protein pattern in winter wheat. Heliyon, 7 (1), e05908. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2021.e05908
32. Kılınçoğlu, N., Cevheri, C.İ., Cevheri, C., & Nahya, H.Y. (2021). Effects of exogenous glycine betaine application on some physiological and biochemical properties of cotton (G. hirsutum L.) plants grown in different drought levels. International Journal of Agriculture Environment and Food Sciences, 5 (4), 689-700. https://doi.org/10.31015/jaefs.2021.4.30
33. Lai, Z., Zhang, K., Liao, Z., Kou, H., Pei, S., Dou, Z., Bai, Z., & Fan, J. (2023). Stem hydraulic conductance, leaf photosynthesis, and carbon metabolism responses of cotton to short-term drought and rewatering. Agronomy, 14 (1), 71. https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy14010071
34. Lascano, R.J., Hicks, S.K., & Baumhardt, R. (1999). Cotton lint yield and fiber quality as a function of irrigation level and termination dates in the Texas High Plains. In: D.A. Richter, ed. Proc. Beltwide Cotton Conference, Orlando, FL, 3-7 January, pp. 1996-1998. National Cotton Council of America, Memphis, TN.
35. Li, Y., Hu, W., Zou, J., He, J., Zhu, H., Zhao, W., Wang, Y., Chen, B., Meng, Y., Wang, S., & Zhou, Z. (2023). Effects of soil drought on cottonseed kernel carbohydrate metabolism and kernel biomass accumulation. Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, 195, 170-181. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.plaphy.2022.12.020
36. Loutfy, N., El-Tayeb, M.A., Hassanen, A.M., Moustafa, M.F., Sakuma, Y., & Inouhe, M. (2012). Changes in the water status and osmotic solute contents in response to drought and salicylic acid treatments in four different cultivars of wheat (Triticum aestivum). Journal of Plant Research, 125, 173-184. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10265-011-0419-9
37. Loutfy, N., Hassanein, A.M., Inouhe, M., & Salem, J.M. (2022). Biological aspects and proline metabolism genes influenced by polyethylene glycol and salicylic acid in two wheat cultivars. Egyptian Journal of Botany, 62 (3), 671-685. https://doi.org/10.21608/EJBO.2022.124280.1921
38. Mahdi, A.H.A., Taha, R.S., & Emam, S.M. (2020). Foliar applied salicylic acid improves water deficit-tolerance in Egyptian cotton. Journal of Plant Production, 11 (5), 383-389. https://doi.org/10.21608/jpp.2020.102747
39. Mansour, E., El-Sobky, E.S.E., Abdul-Hamid, M.I., Abdallah, E., Zedan, A.M., Serag, A.M., Silvar, C., El-Hendawy, S., & Desoky, E.S.M. (2023). Enhancing drought tolerance and water productivity of diverse maize hybrids (Zea mays) using exogenously applied biostimulants under varying irrigation levels. Agronomy, 13 (5), 1320. https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy13051320
40. Mendiburu F., & Mendiburu, M.F. (2019). Package ‘agricolae’. R Package, Version, 1, 3. Available from: https://cran.r-project.org/web/packages/agricolae/agricolae.pdf
41. Moharekar, S.T., Lokhande, S.D., Hara, T., Tanaka, R., Tanaka, A., & Chavan, P.D. (2003). Effect of salicylic acid on chlorophyll and carotenoid contents of wheat and moong seedlings. Photosynthetica, 41, 315-317.
42. Nasir, M.W., Yasmeen, A., Imran, M., & Zoltan, T. (2019). Seed priming to alleviate drought stress in cotton. Journal of Environmental & Agricultural Science, 21, 14-22.
43. Niakan, M., Habibi, A., & Ghorbanli, M. (2012). Study of pix regulator effect on physiological responses in cotton plant. Annals of Biological Research, 3 (11), 5229-5235.
44. Noreen, S., Athar, H.U.R., & Ashraf, M. (2013). Interactive effects of watering regimes and exogenously applied osmoprotectants on earliness indices and leaf area index in cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) crop. Pakistan Journal of Botany, 45 (6), 1873-1881.
45. Noreen, S., Zafar, Z.U., Hussain, K., Athar, H.U.R., & Ashraf, M. (2015). Assessment of economic benefits of foliarly applied osmoprotectants in alleviating the adverse effects of water stress on growth and yield of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.). Pakistan Journal of Botany, 47 (6), 2223-2230.
46. Pawar, K.R., Wagh, S.G., Sonune, P.P., Solunke, S.R., Solanke, S.B., Rathod, S.G., & Harke, S.N. (2020). Analysis of water stress in different varieties of maize (Zea mays L.) at the early seedling stage. Biotechnology Journal International, 24 (1), 15-24. https://doi.org/10.9734/BJI/2020/v24i130094
47. Qi, Q., Wang, N., Ruan, S., Muhammad, N., Zhang, H., Shi, J., Dong, Q., Xu, Q., Song, M., Yan, G., & Zhang, X. (2023). Mepiquat chloride priming confers the ability of cotton seed to tolerate salt by promoting ABA-operated GABA signaling control of the ascorbate-glutathione cycle. Journal of Cotton Research, 6 (1), 24. https://doi.org/10.1186/s42397-023-00162-x
48. Rady, M.M., Taha, R.S., & Mahdi, A.H. (2016). Proline enhances growth, productivity and anatomy of two varieties of Lupinus termis L. grown under salt stress. South African Journal of Botany, 102, 221-227. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sajb.2015.07.007
49. Rehman, A., & Farooq, M. (2019). Morphology, physiology and ecology of cotton. In Cotton Production (eds K. Jabran and B.S. Chauhan), p. 23-46. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781119385523.ch2
50. Semida, W.M., Abdelkhalik, A., Rady, M.O., Marey, R.A., & Abd El-Mageed, T.A. (2020). Exogenously applied proline enhances growth and productivity of drought stressed onion by improving photosynthetic efficiency, water use efficiency and up-regulating osmoprotectants. Scientia Horticulturae, 272, 109580.
51. Semida, W.M., Abd El-Mageed, T.A., Mohamed, S.E., & El-Sawah, N.A. (2017). Combined effect of deficit irrigation and foliar-applied salicylic acid on physiological responses, yield, and water-use efficiency of onion plants in saline calcareous soil. Archives of Agronomy and Soil Science, 63 (9), 1227-1239. https://doi.org/10.1080/03650340.2016.1264579
52. Sezen, M.S., Yazar, A., Tekin, S., Eker, S., & Kapur, B. (2011). Yield and quality response of drip-irrigated pepper under Mediterranean climatic conditions to various water regimes. African Journal of Biotechnology, 10 (8), 1329-1339. https://doi.org/10.5897/AJB10.1689
53. Shafiq, S., Akram, N.A., Ashraf, M., García-Caparrós, P., Ali, O.M., & Latef, A.A.H.A. (2021). Influence of glycine betaine (natural and synthetic) on growth, metabolism and yield production of drought-stressed maize (Zea mays L.) plants. Plants, 10 (11), 2540. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants10112540
54. Shahrbano, G., Maryam, N., Omran, A., & Reza, Z.M. (2022). Drought tolerance enhancment in cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) by mepiquate chloride seed priming. Pakistan Journal of Agricultural Sciences, 59 (6), 923-934. https://doi.org/10.21162/PAKJAS/22.1147
55. Silva, I.P.F., Junior, J.F.S., Araldi, R., Tanaka, A.A., Girotto, M., Bosque, G.G., & Lima, F.C.C. (2011). Phenological phases study of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.). Revista Científica Eletrônica da Agronomia, 10 (20), 1-10.
56. Steel, R.G.D., Torrie, H., & Dickey, D.A. (1997). Principles and procedures of statistics – A biometrical approach. 3rd ed. McGraw Hill, Inc. New York.
57. Tanveer, M., Shahzad, B., Sharma, A., & Khan, E.A. (2019). 24-Epibrassinolide application in plants: An implication for improving drought stress tolerance in plants. Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, 135, 295-303. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.plaphy.2018.12.013
58. Tian, X.L., Wang, G.W., Yang, F.Q., Yang, P.Z., Duan, L.S., & Li, Z.H. (2008). Differences in tolerance to low-potassium supply among different types of cultivars in cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.). Acta Agronomica Sinica, 34 (10), 1770-1780. https://doi.org/10.3724/SP.J.1006.2008.01770
59. Ullah, A., Sun, H., Yang, X., & Zhang, X. (2017). Drought coping strategies in cotton: Increased crop per drop. Plant Biotechnology Journal, 15 (3), 271-284. https://doi.org/10.1111/pbi.12688
60. Wang, N., Wang, X., Shi, J., Liu, X., Xu, Q., Zhou, H., Song, M., & Yan, G. (2019). Mepiquat chloride-priming induced salt tolerance during seed germination of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) through regulating water transport and K+/Na+ homeostasis. Environmental and Experimental Botany, 159, 168-178. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envexpbot.2018.12.024
61. Wang, N., Wang, X., Zhang, H., Liu, X., Shi, J., Dong, Q., Xu, Q., Gui, H., Song, M., & Yan, G. (2021). Early ABA-stimulated maintenance of Cl−homeostasis by mepiquat chloride priming confers salt tolerance in cotton seeds. The Crop Journal, 9 (2), 387-399. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cj.2020.08.004
62. Wang, R., Gao, M., Ji, S., Wang, S., Meng, Y., & Zhou, Z. (2016). Carbon allocation, osmotic adjustment, antioxidant capacity and growth in cotton under long-term soil drought during flowering and boll-forming period. Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, 107, 137-146. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.plaphy.2016.05.035
63. Xiao, X., Yang, F., Zhang, S., Korpelainen, H., & Li, C. (2009). Physiological and proteomic responses of two contrasting Populus cathayana populations to drought stress. Physiologia Plantarum, 136 (2), 150-168. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1399-3054.2009.01222.x
64. Xie, T.T., Su, P.X., An, L.Z., Shan, L.S., Zhou, Z.J., & Chai, Z.P. (2016). Physiological characteristics of high yield under cluster planting: photosynthesis and canopy microclimate of cotton. Plant Production Science, 19 (1), 165-172. https://doi.org/10.1080/1343943X.2015.1128088
65. Yehia, W.M.B. (2020). Evaluation of some Egyptian cotton (Gossypium barbadense L.) genotypes to water stress by using drought tolerance indice. Elixir Agriculture, 143, 54133-54141.
66. Yehia, W.M.B., & El-Menshawie, M.E. (2008). Studied of tolerance of some Egyptian cotton cultivars for drought (water stress). Journal of Plant Production, 33 (10), 7041-7051. https://doi.org/10.21608/jpp.2008.171220
67. Zafar, S., Afzal, H., Ijaz, A., Mahmood, A., Ayub, A., Nayab, A., Hussain, S., Maqsood, U.H., Sabir, M.A., Zulfiqar, U., & Zulfiqar, F. (2023). Cotton and drought stress: An updated overview for improving stress tolerance. South African Journal of Botany, 161, 258-268. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sajb.2023.08.029
68. Zahoor, R., Zhao, W., Abid, M., Dong, H., & Zhou, Z. (2017). Potassium application regulates nitrogen metabolism and osmotic adjustment in cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) functional leaf under drought stress. Journal of Plant Physiology, 215, 30-38. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jplph.2017.05.001
69. Zhang, R., Wang, N., Li, S., Wang, Y., Xiao, S., Zhang, Y., Egrinya Eneji, A., Zhang, M., Wang, B., Duan, L., & Li, Z. (2021). Gibberellin biosynthesis inhibitor mepiquat chloride enhances root K+ uptake in cotton by modulating plasma membrane H+-ATPase. Journal of Experimental Botany, 72 (18), 6659-6671. https://doi.org/10.1093/jxb/erab302
70. Zhang, H., Sun, X., & Dai, M. (2022). Improving crop drought resistance with plant growth regulators and rhizobacteria: Mechanisms, applications, and perspectives. Plant Communications, 3 (1), 100228. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.xplc.2021.100228c
71. Zhang, L.X., Lai, J.H., Liang, Z.S., & Ashraf, M. (2014). Interactive effects of sudden and gradual drought stress and foliar‐applied glycinebetaine on growth, water relations, osmolyte accumulation and antioxidant defence system in two maize cultivars differing in drought tolerance. Journal of Agronomy and Crop Science, 200 (6), 425-433. https://doi.org/10.1111/jac.12081
72. Zhao, W., Dong, H., Zahoor, R., Zhou, Z., Snider, J.L., Chen, Y., Siddique, K.H., & Wang, Y. (2019). Ameliorative effects of potassium on drought-induced decreases in fiber length of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) are associated with osmolyte dynamics during fiber development. The Crop Journal, 7 (5), 619-634. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cj.2019.03.008
73. Zheng, Q.S., & Liu, Y.L. (2001). Effects of soaking seeds in DPC increasing the salinity tolerance in cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) seedlings and its mechanism. Cotton Science, 13 (5), 278-282.
74. Zhu, L., Li, A., Sun, H., Li, P., Liu, X., Guo, C., Zhang, Y., Zhang, K., Bai, Z., Dong, H., & Liu, L. (2023). The effect of exogenous melatonin on root growth and lifespan and seed cotton yield under drought stress. Industrial Crops and Products, 204, 117344. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.indcrop.2023.117344