Response of Foliar Application of Nitrogen Compounds on Sugarcane Grown Under Waterlogging Stress

Present study was aimed to assess the effect of foliar applications of nitrogen compounds (potassium nitrate, urea and calcium nitrate) on physio-biochemical attributes in sugarcane plants (Saccharum spp. hybrids, CoLk 94184) subjected to waterlogging. Single bud setts were planted in earthen pots filled with soil. The treatments included control (T1), waterlogged (WL) (T2), WL + potassium nitrate (0.5 %) (T3), WL + urea (0.3 %) (T4) and WL + calcium nitrate (0.4 %) (T5). Waterlogging was imposed by placing planted pot into a larger plastic bucket and filling it with water up to 2 cm above the soil surface. After 2, 6 and 10 weeks of waterlogging, plants were sampled for growth, biochemical and molecular studies. Results obtained indicated decrease in shoot weight, leaf area and activity of nitrate reductase (NR) and increase in root weight, plant height, MDA, proline contents and peroxidase activity due to waterlogging compared to control plants. As compared to waterlogged treatment (T2), application of nitrogen compounds increased leaf area, shoot weight and NR activity and decreased MDA content. Alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) gene expression was up-regulated due to waterlogging (T2) and WL + nitrogen compounds in both leaf and root tissues; increase was highest in leaves of WL + urea (T4) and roots of WL + calcium nitrate treatment. Findings suggested beneficial effect of all tested nitrogen compounds on growth and biochemical attributes under waterlogged condition.