Effects of Drought Stress and Foliar Application of Iron and Zinc on Quantitative and Qualitative Characteristics of Two Species of Annual Medics

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

Abstract

To evaluate of drought stress and foliar application of zinc and iron on two annual medics species, experimental field was carried out with split factorial based on randomized complete block design in three replication with Treatments of foliar application (Controlled, Fe, Zn and iron+ zinc) and cutoff irrigation from (50% flowering , lower pod maturity,10 days before starting of flowering and control treatment). The results showed that leaf to stem ratio in scutellata (1.82) more than polymorpha (1.43). Drought stress reduced the amount of forage yield and pod yield were 27%, 33%respectively compared to control treatment. The number of pods per plant increased to compare with control 17.6 and 27.6 percent in the treatment of iron and iron + zinc, respectively. Zinc application treatment increased the number of pod per plant in scutellata and polymorpha species 81% and 177% respectivelly compared with control treatment. The number of seeds per pod increased in polymorpha species and (Zinc+Iron) 17treatment 58% comparison to control foliar application. However, the number of of seeds per pod in all treatments of foliar application increased 40-70% compared to control in scutellata species. The nitrogen fixation in the thirth level of drought stress was reduced 51 and % in scutellata and polymorpha respectivelly compared to control.(Iron + Zinc) application increased protein forage 23.3 and 21.7 in scutellata and polymorpha respectively.

Keywords

Main Subjects