Effect of Water Deficiency and Potassium Application on Plant Growth, Osmolytes and Grain Yield of Brassica Napus Cultivars

Abstract

Abstract One of the major issues with brassica oil seed production is the water requirement of the brassica crop. To address the problem, field experiments were conducted to evaluate the effect of potassium (K) and water deficiency levels on canola (Brassica napus L.). Analysis of the data revealed that application of K, irrigation and interactions between irrigation and cultivar (I x C), irrigation and potassium (I x K), potassium and cultivar (K x C), and irrigation and cultivar and potassium (I x C x K) had a significant (p < 0.05) effect on shoot proline content, relative water content, plant fresh weight and grain yield. Potassium application, irrigation and interaction between I x C, K x C, and I x C x K had a significant (p < 0.05) effect on shoot sugar content. Water deficiency increased shoot proline and sugar contents and decreased relative water content. Potassium application increased shoot proline level in a dose dependent manner. Minimum proline and sugar contents and maximum relative water content, plant fresh and dry weight and yield were obtained when 100% irrigation was applied. Maximum grain yield was obtained upon application of 100% irrigation in combination with 120 kg ha−1 K.