Exogenous application of abscisic acid may improve the growth and yield of sunflower hybrids under drought

Sunflower genotypes perform differently under different water regimes. Drought stress at various growth stages drastically reduces the growth, development and yield of sunflower hybrids. However, exogenous application of abscisic acid helps in mitigating drought stress by improving growth, development and yield of sunflower. In the present study, three sunflower hybrids viz. DK-4040 (large stature), S-278 (medium stature) and SF-187 (short stature) were exposed to varied irrigation regimes and abscisic acid application schedule i.e. T1: four irrigations with schedule (25DAS, at bud, flower initiation and at achene formation) and with no ABA spray,T2: three irrigations with schedule (25DAS, at flower initiation and at achene formation) and with no ABA spray, T3: three irrigations with schedule (25DAS, at flower initiation and at achene formation) and with 8muMABA spray at bud initiation, T4: three irrigations with schedule (25DAS, at bud initiation and at achene formation) and with no ABA spray, T5: three irrigations with schedule (25DAS, at bud initiation and at achene formation) and with 8muM ABA spray at flower initiation. Experiment was laid out in Randomized Complete Design with factorial arrangement having three replications. ABA application at bud or at flower initiation under drought stress helped in mitigating the detrimental effects by improving growth and yield of sunflower hybrids. Enhancement in drought tolerance of sunflower genotypes was better when ABA was applied at bud initiation stage than that of at flower initiation stage under drought. Improvements in head diameter, achenes per head, 1000-achene weight, achene yield, oil yield, biological yield, harvest index, leaf area index and crop growth rate was recorded. Sunflower hybrid DK-4040 showed more improvement in drought tolerance by foliar application of ABA under water deficit stress than that of the SF-187 and S-278. It is suggested that sunflower hybrid DK 4040 should be grown under drought stress by foliar application of ABA at bud initiation stage.