Asian Journal of Plant and Soil Sciences

One of the most vital environmental factors that restrict plant production in arid and semi-arid environments is the lack of fresh water and drought stress. Field experiment was carried out at the Agricultural Experimental Station of National Research Centre, Nubaria; Behiera Governorate, Egypt during the 2019/2020. The experiment conducted to study the effect of ascorbic acid in mitigating the adverse effects of water stress on pea plants in split-plot design. The experiment included three irrigation regimes (80%, 60% and 40% of water holding capacity) and four level of ascorbic acid (0, 100, 200 and 300 ppm) applied as foliar spray. The results revealed that water stress reduced the chlorophyll, growth and seed yield, while increased proline content and crop water productivity. Highest of macronutrient contents were attained by application of ascorbic acid under all examined water stress. Data showed that the highest values of yield parameters (fresh weight, Pod number and seed number/pod) were attained after application of ascorbic acid under sufficient irrigation at 80, 60 and 40% WHC, respectively. The reduction of grain yield reduced comparing 80% with 40% WHC, while the opposite was true in water use efficiency which increased by increasing water stress. Biological yield was highly recorded at after application of ascorbic acid (300 ppm) under 80, and 40% WHC, respectively. Enhanced water stress tolerance through adequate ascorbic acid application is a promising strategy to increase the tolerance and productivity of pea plants under water stress.