Tropentag, September 19 - 21, 2012 in Göttingen "Resilience of agricultural systems against crises"

Foliar Application of Methanol on Some Quality Traits of Soybean under Deficit Irrigation

¹Islamic Azad University, Karaj Branch, Dept. of Agronomy, Iran
²Islamic Azad University, Shahr-e-Rey Branch, Dept. of Agronomy and Plant Breading, Iran

Abstract

To determine effects of methanol foliar application on soybean grain yield under, a factorial split-plot experiment based on a randomised complete block design with four replications was done at Research Field of Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Islamic Azad University-Karaj Branch, Karaj, Iran, during 2011. The first factor was drought stress in two levels (based on depletion of a1=40% and a2=70 % of available soil moisture). The second factor was spraying times of methanol in two levels (in the morning at b1= 8-10 AM and in the evening at b2=19-21 PM). Third factor was foliar application number of methanol with three levels (each c1=7, c2=14 and c3= 21 days, Methanol spray was applied 5, 3 and 2 times during growth season of soybean, respectively). All treatments were sprayed with 21% (v/v) methanol concentration. Grain yield, biomass, protein and oil percentage and yields were measured in this study. The results showed that there was significant (p>0.05) differences between effects of drought stress level on measured parameters. Under normal irrigation, the highest (3187 kg ha^-1) and lowest (1526 kg ha^-1) soybean grain yield was obtained in a1 and a2, respectively. results of oil yield indicated that a1 and a2 were produced the most (731 kg ha^-1) and least (484 kg ha^-1), respectively. Besides, results showed that significant differences exists (p>0.05) between interaction effects a*b, a*c, b*c and a*b*c in some traits, as under normal and deficit irrigation maximum grain yield were observed by methanol spraying every other week in the evening and every 7 days in the morning, respectively. Conclusion: It seems applying aqueous solutions 21 % (v/v) methanol on water deficit condition on different periods on soybean plants and time application can reduce harmful effects of drought and improve plant potential to cope with stress.

Keywords: Biomass, harvest index , methanol, soybean, yield

Contact Address: Farzad Paknejad, Islamic Azad University, Karaj Branch, Dept. of Agronomy and Plant Breeding, Karaj, Iran, e-mail: farzadpaknejadyahoo.com