FOLIAR APPLICATION OF POTASSIUM UNDER WATER DEFICIT CONDITIONS IMPROVED THE GROWTH AND YIELD OF WHEAT (TRITICUM AESTIVUM L.)

Study to find out the response of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivars (Lasani-2008, Auqab-2000) to foliar application of 1 % potassium at different growth stages (tillering, flower initiation and milking) was carried out under water limited environment, at the Nuclear Institute for Agriculture and Biology (NIAB), Faisalabad during 2008-09. The wire house experiment was laid out in completely randomized design. Data regarding various agronomic traits (plant height, spike length, number of spikelets per spike, number of grains per spike, 1000-grain weight and grain yield per plant) of crop were recorded using standard procedures. The data so collected were analyzed statistically by using the Fisher's analysis of variance technique and LSD at 5% probability was used to compare the differences among treatments' means. Drought stress at all three critical growth stages adversely affected plant height, spike length, number of spikelets per spike, number of grains per spike, 1000-grain weight and grain yield of wheat plant. Foliar application of K at all three critical growth stages improved the drought tolerance of plants and improved the growth and yield components, however, grain filling stage was found more responsive.