ORIGINAL RESEARCH
Exogenous Application of β-aminobutyric
Acid Improved Water Relations, Membrane
Stability Index, and Achene Yield in Sunflower
Hybrids Under Terminal Drought Stress
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1
Institute of Agronomy, Bahauddin Zakariya University Multan, Multan, 60800, Pakistan
2
College of Agriculture, University of Layyah, Layyah, 31200, Pakistan
3
Department of Environmental Sciences, Shaheed Benazir Bhutto University Sheringal, Dir Upper,
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 18000, Pakistan
4
School of Biological Sciences, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Perth, WA 6009, Australia
5
Department of Agronomy, College of Agriculture, University of Sargodha, Sargodha, 40100, Pakistan
6
Plant Production Department, College of Food and Agriculture Sciences, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2460,
Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
7
Department of Agronomy, Faculty of Agriculture, Kafrelsheikh University, Kafr El-Shaikh 33516, Egypt
8
Department of Economics, University of Layyah, Layyah, 31200, Pakistan
Submission date: 2023-08-28
Final revision date: 2023-10-24
Acceptance date: 2023-12-17
Online publication date: 2024-05-23
Publication date: 2024-06-27
Corresponding author
Allah Wasaya
Institute of Agronomy, Bahauddin Zakariya University Multan, Multan, 60800, Pakistan
Ayman EL Sabagh
Department of Agronomy, Faculty of Agriculture, Kafrelsheikh University, Kafr El-Shaikh 33516, Egypt
Pol. J. Environ. Stud. 2024;33(5):5367-5479
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ABSTRACT
Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) is a major oilseed crop grown for edible oil throughout the world,
including Pakistan. Drought stress is the most significant constraint to crop production in a changing
climate scenario, and its severity is increasing day by day. Less rainfall and rising temperatures,
particularly during the seed-filling phase, reduce achene yield in sunflower hybrids. Exogenous
application of β aminobutyric acid (BABA) is effective in reducing the severity of terminal drought stress
in many crop plants. Therefore, the present study was conducted to assess the effect of foliar BABA
application on the membrane stability, growth, and productivity of sunflower hybrids under induced
terminal drought conditions. A pot experiment was carried out to compare the growth and yield potential
of two sunflower hybrids, Hysun-33 and NK-Senji, to two levels of water application: normal irrigation
(NI) and terminal drought (TD). To combat terminal drought, four BABA concentrations (0, 20, 40, and
60 mM) were used. When compared to NK-Senji, Hysun-33 had the highest SPAD-chlorophyll value,
head weight, 100-achene weight, and achene yield. In comparison to normal irrigation terminal drought increased proline content while lowering relative water content, SPAD-Chlorophyll, 100-achene weight,
and achene yield. However, under terminal drought, foliar application of β-aminobutyric acid improved
relative water content, SPAD-chlorophyll value, head weight, 100-achene weight, and achene yield.
When different levels of BABA were used, the application of 60 mM produced 46% more achene yield
than the control. A reduced achene yield was obtained under terminal drought which was improved by
foliar spraying of 60 mM β-aminobutyric acid which increased in SPAD-chlorophyll value, membrane
stability index, relative water content, and 100-achene weight. Overall, the exogenous application
of BABA improved water relations, membrane stability index, and achene yield in sunflower hybrids
under terminal drought stress.