Effect of the application of foliar selenium on canola cultivars as influenced by different irrigation regimes

Abstract

Selenium (Se) is an essential micro-nutrient element for animals and human, which also has some beneficial roles in many plant species. This study aimed to evaluate the application of foliar Se on canola cultivars under different irrigation regimes. The study was carried out in two consecutive years, in the form of a factorial split plot experiment, based on an RCB design with three replications. Sodium selenate solution was sprayed on the leaves of 6 winter canola exposed to 3 different irrigation regimes. The results revealed that most of the studied traits were affected by foliar selenium, especially seed yield, seed oil yield, leaf proline content and leaf chlorophyll a content. Under drought stress conditions, foliar selenium caused a significant increase in seed yield, seed oil yield, and the relative water content of leaves. According to partial regression analysis, foliar selenium changed the nature of relationships governing the traits, especially under drought stress conditions. The results showed that, selenium reduced the effects of drought stress through improving the relative water content of the leaves. Therefore, foliar selenium can be a useful strategy to achieve sustainable agriculture, especially under water deficit conditions.