Role of exogenous-applied salicylic acid, zinc and glycine betaine to improve drought-tolerance in wheat during reproductive growth stages

Table 1 Influences of soil water conditions and foliar treatments on wheat growth parameters

Soil water conditions	Foliar treatments	Plant height (cm)	Fresh weight of plants pot^− 1 (g)	Dry weight of plants pot^− 1 (g)	Leaf area of plants pot^− 1 (cm²)	No. of tillers pot^− 1	No. of spikes pot^− 1
WW	CK	63.39^bc ± 1.67	73.13^bc ± 2.92	17.79^d ± 0.73	962.74^c ± 54.55	18.62^c ± 0.56	16.67^b ± 0.33
	SA	70.58^a ± 1.40	81.20^a ± 3.31	21.95^b ± 0.61	1067.01^b ± 61.24	20.59^ab ± 0.55	18.34^a ± 0.61
	Zn	68.67^ab ± 2.64	79.48^ab ± 3.62	20.73^bc ± 0.73	1015.75^bc ± 53.79	19.83^b ± 0.60	17.83^b ± 0.33
	GB	71.86^a ± 2.71	82.38^a ± 4.11	23.57^a ± 0.94	1148.27^a ± 65.15	21.27^a ± 0.79	19.00^a ± 0.34
	Means	68.62	79.05	21.00	1048.44	20.07	17.96
WD	CK	57.73^d ± 0.70	43.16^f ± 2.38	14.66^f ± 0.15	428.14^f ± 21.73	14.38^f ± 0.61	12.55^d ± 0.65
	SA	61.74^c ± 0.59	51.31^d ± 2.04	16.98^e ± 0.30	596.60^de ± 23.37	16.26^d ± 0.53	14.28^c ± 0.72
	Zn	61.73^c ± 0.33	48.04^de ± 2.57	16.03^e ± 0.72	570.37^e ± 27.85	15.67^de ± 0.41	13.77^c ± 0.63
	GB	62.38^bc ± 1.70	53.16^d ± 2.10	18.81^d ± 0.35	632.10^d ± 16.41	16.58^d ± 0.44	14.60^c ± 0.47
	Means	60.89	48.92	16.61	556.80	15.72	13.79

Values are means (±SE) of three replicates. For L.S.D.’s results, means with various letters indicate the significant differences (p < 0.05). WW well-watered; WD water-deficient; CK control (double distilled water); SA salicylic acid; Zn zinc; GB glycine betaine

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