Effect of glutathione and/or selenium levels on growth, yield, and some biochemical constituents of some wheat cultivars grown under sandy soil conditions

Abstract

Abstract Background Two field experiments were carried out at the Agricultural Production and Research Station, National Research Centre (NRC), El-Nubaria Province, Behaira Governorate, Egypt, during two successive winter seasons to study the effect of glutathione (100, 200, and 300 mg/l) and/or selenium (5 and 10 mg/l) on growth, yield, and yield components of three wheat cultivars (Egypt-2; Shandaweel-1; Gemmeiza-11). Results The results indicate that the Gemmeiza-11 cultivar was the most adapted cultivar to grow in the Nubaria region. Individually, glutathione at 300 mg/l or selenium at 10 mg/l caused the highest significant increases in shoot dry weight/plant of three wheat cultivars relative to other levels. Likewise, glutathione treatment at 300 mg/l was the optimum treatment in increasing photosynthetic pigments in three wheat cultivars. Selenium treatment at 10 mg/l was better than selenium treatment at 5 mg/l. Interaction between glutathione at 300 mg/l and selenium at 10 mg/l caused the highest significance increases in total photosynthetic pigments. It is obvious that glutathione at 300 mg/l or selenium at 10 mg/l as individual treatment showed the highest significant increase in grain yield (ton/fed). Conclusion Glutathione treatments at 200 or 300 mg/l interacted with selenium treatment at 10 mg/l showed the highest significant increases in grain yield and its components as compared with other treatments in three wheat cultivars. Moreover, It is noted that the highest increases in IAA and phenolic content in the leaves as well as the content of carbohydrate, flavonoid, and phenolic in the yielded grains appeared by the interaction between glutathione at 300 mg/l and selenium at 10 mg/l in the three wheat cultivars under investigation.