Role of Ascobien, Potassium Silicate Foliar Application in Alleviating Water Stress Effect on Wheat.

Egypt suffers from a shortage in wheat production, and its production has remained at 9 million metric tonnes while consumption sits at over 19 million metric tonnes. Water scarcity is recognized as a significant challenge in wheat production and farming. Hence, this research focused on foliar application of Ascobien Acid, Potassium Silicate, and Lithovit and their impact on wheat cutivar Giza-171 growth, yield, and nutrient composition under water stress conditions. Field trials were conducted at Kafrelsheikh University, Faculty of Agriculture, for the years 2020-2021 and 2021-2022. A split-plot design where irrigation treatments (water stress versus Normal) served as main plots. Three irrigations were performed during the sowing, tillering, and stem elongation stages, and then irrigation was stopped until the plants reached physiological maturity to apply water stress. six foliar application treatments subplots (plot F1: 0 (control), F2: ascobien (13% citric acid, 25% ascorbic acid, plus 62% organic materials), F3: potassium silicate (12% potassium, and 25 % silica), F4: lithovit is 60% (CaCO3) calcium carbonate, 35% (CaO) calcium oxide, 12 % SiO2, 0.02 % (Mn), and 1.0 % Fe iron.), F5: ascobien + potassium silicate, and F6: potassium silicate + lithovit) was implemented with four replications. All compounds were sprayed three times at the tillering and Elongation Stage. Results showed that water stress reduced all studied traits compared to normal irrigation. All foliar application treatments positively improved all parameters compared to the control, and the treatment F6 (potassium silicate + lithovit) gave the highest values. Under water stress conditions, the foliar application of (potassium silicate + Lithovit) (F6) provided the largest increases compared to the untreated control (F1). F6 treatment under water stress increased the relative water content by an average of 25.2%, the leaf area index by 52.8%, chlorophyll content by 36.0%, and dry weight by 36.6% over two years compared to the control. Yield components also recorded increases with F6 under water stress treatment increase in plant height by an average of 10.5% improvement in spikes per square meter by 59.3% kernels per spike enhancement by 22.1% and improvement in the thousand kernel weights by 21.4% over the control Grain yield was increased by an average of 36.5% straw yield was increased by an average of 46.3% under F6 compared to control in condition where water stress exists over two years. Additionally, the nutrient content was enhanced, with nitrogen increasing by an average of 52.5%, phosphorus by 36.7%, and potassium by 52.5% under the F6 treatment compared to the untreated control over two years. This demonstrates that the combination of Lithovit and potassium silicate foliar application is more effective in mitigating the effects of drought in wheat.