Signal Molecules Improving Growth, Yield and Biochemical Aspects of Wheat Cultivars under Water Stress

Background and Objective: Using signal molecules as calcium (Ca2+) and nitrogen oxide (NO) have an important role on alleviation of the adverse effects of drought stress on different plant crops. Materials and Methods: Thus, a field experiment was carried out during two winter successive seasons to study the beneficial role of calcium chloride (Ca source) and sodium nitroprusside (SNP as No donor) with different concentrations of two cultivars of wheat plant (Seds 13 and Sakha 94) under drought stress. Results: Growing wheat plants under different levels of water irrigation requirement (WIR) (75 and 50%) caused significant gradual decreases in different growth criteria, photosynthetic pigments and yield components as compared with control plants (those plants irrigated with 100%). Meanwhile, increasing gradually total soluble sugars, proline and free amino acids, H2O2 and MDA contents compared with control plants. Soaking grains of the 2 cultivars (Seds 13 and Sakha 94) in CaCl2 (20 and 40 mg LG1) and SNP (1 and 2 mg LG1) for 12 h before sowing improved growth and yield of wheat plant and could alleviate the reduced effect of drought stress on growth and yield of wheat plant through increasing photosynthetic pigments, total soluble sugars, proline and free amino acids contents. Meanwhile decreasing H2O2, MDA contents as compared with their corresponding controls. These treatments under water deficit led to appearance or disappearance of many bands were not present in the control depending on the wheat cultivars, evidence Sids 13 gave more bands than Sakha 94. Conclusion: In conclusion, CaCl2 and SNP have a beneficial role in alleviating the toxic effect of drought stress on wheat plant.