EVALUATION OF SOME ANTITRANSPIRANT AGENTS IN SUNFLOWER FOR SAVING IRRIGATION WATER IN RELATION TO PRODUCTIVITY

Abstract

Two field experiments were conducted in summer seasons of 2015 and 2016 at Giza AgriculturalExperimental Station, Agricultural Research Center (ARC), Egyptto evaluate the effect of foliar spray with three antitranspirant agents: Potassium, Kaolin and Ascorbic acid” on two cultivars of sunflower plant (Giza 102 and Solala 120) under three levels of irrigations 100%, 80% and 60% of Et0. onyield and yield components and water productivity of sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.). Each experiment was laid out in split split plot design with three replicates. The main plots were occupied by irrigation levels (100%, 80% and 60% of Et0), while subplots contained three spraying treatments of antitranspirants agents i.e. Potassium at 1%, Kaolin at 3% and Ascorbic acid at 100 ppm in addition to control treatment (water), While the sub.sub plots were adapted to the two sunflower cultivars (Giza 102 and Solala 120). The obtained important results could be summarized as follow: 1- Effect of irrigation levels, antitranspirant agents and their interactions on vegetative characteristics of two sunflower cultivar plants. Results concluded that shoot dry weight of sunflower plant is sensitive to irrigation water deficit either at 60 or 90 days after sowing. Sunflower shoot dry weight/plant values were significantly decreased as irrigation water level, decreased than 100% of Et0. Foliar application of antitranspirant agents increased to different extents shoot dry weight of sunflower plants in both the two experimental seasons. Potassium antitranspirant agent was the potent treatment in this respect and increased shoot dry weight of sunflower cultivar plant in the first and second seasons over the control The lowest shoot dry weight values in both seasons were obtained with the application of Ascorbic under 60% of irrigation compared with control. On the other hand, heaviest shoot dry weight values at 90 days