FOLIAR-APPLIED HYDROGEN PEROXIDE AND PROLINE MODULATES GROWTH, YIELD AND BIOCHEMICAL ATTRIBUTES OF WHEAT (TRITICUM AESTIVUM L.) UNDER VARIED N AND P LEVELS

Better crop yield and precise future farming system is a dire need to meet the chronic food insecurity predominant these days. Positive interaction between Nitrogen, Phosphorus fertilizers and better plant growth are well known; in contrast no information is available about their role when applied in combination with (Proline+ H2O2). The present experiment was conducted to assess the modulation in grain yield related attributes and biochemical parameters through foliar application of bio-chemicals (Proline+ H2O2) and fertilizer (N+P) application as rooting medium for two wheat cultivars Millat -06 and Shafaq-11. The results exhibited that most of the yield related and biochemical attributes responded positively and significantly to NP fertilizer application. NP treatments, 80-60 kg/ha and 120-90 kg/ha both levels almost equally contributed to increase all studied attributes. It was deducted that application of Proline and H2O2 as foliar spray also caused improvement in term of yield related attributes, but effect was more prominent in biochemical attributes. Application of H2O2 increased the activities of Ascorbate per oxidase (APX), Ascorbic acid (AsA), while foliar spray of proline enhanced accumulation of Phenolic contents. Catalase activity (CAT) significantly increased with bio-chemicals (Proline+ H2O2) but showed differential response in both cul-tivars. Foliar spray of biochemical especially H2O2 decreased lipid peroxidation. Concerning the accumulation of endogenous H2O2 contents reached its maximum value with foliar spray of exogenous H2O2. However, foliar spray of bio-chemicals mitigated the deleterious effects of any stressful condition and activate plant antioxidative defense system that ultimately resulted in better growth and productivity. Wheat Millat-11 was better in Plant height, fertile and non-fertile spikelets and Ascorbic acid (Vitamin c) attributes, while Shaafaq-06 was better in 100-grains weight. Overall, our results suggest that improvement in yield and biochemical parameters was associated with NP fertilizers as well as foliar spray of Proline and H2O2.