This work aimed to investigate the effects of foliar application with putrescine (0, 25, 50 ppm) and benzyladenine (0, 50, 100 ppm) on growth performance, yield parameters, seed oil percentage and fatty acids composition of chia (Salvia hispanica L.) plants grown under water stress conditions (40, 70% Evaporation Transpiration rate (ETo) and 100% ETo full irrigation as control). The results showed that, both of the two water deficit irrigation levels 70 and 40% ETo significantly decreased all studied growth and yield parameters of chia plants in both seasons as well as, these water stress levels decrease seed oil percentage and unsaturated fatty acids such as linolenic and Linoleic of chia plants compared with unstressed plants (control 100% ETo). In contrast, the two water stress levels induced a marked increase water use efficiency (WUE) and saturated fatty acids compared with unstressed plants (100% ETo). In addition, the foliar application treatments of putrescine at 25 ppm and benzyl adenine at 50 ppm alone or in combination with the two water stress levels significantly increased all the above mentioned traits of growth, yield parameters and WUE in both seasons as well as seed oil percentage and unsaturated fatty acids composition in second season. Since, putrescine at 25 ppm was the most effective treatment in this respect. Generally, the foliar application treatments with low concentration of putrescine and benzyl adenine were the most effective treatments for improving growth, productivity, seed oil percentage, and fatty acids composition of chia (Salvia hispanica L.) plants under normal or water stress conditions. |
