| Summary: | The effectiveness of chitosan zinc oxide nanoparticles (CS-ZnO-NPs) on growth and yield of wheat (Triticum aestivum
L., Sakha-93), zinc content and water use efficiency (WUE) under water stress were investigated. A pot experiment was
conducted in a completely randomized design by foliar application of CS-ZnO-NPs. Wheat plants were sprayed four times
at 15, 30, 45 and 60 days after sowing. The treatments were: control (treated with distilled water), 50, 100 and 150 ppm
of CS-ZnO-NPs under 100, 80 and 60% of field capacity. Water shortage has a negative effect on growth parameters
and productivity of wheat plants. While the foliar application of 150 ppm CS-ZnO-NPs significantly increased (P≤0.05)
NPK content, growth parameters which in turn led to increase the productivity. The highest values of wheat yield were:
4990.55, 4453.50 and 4350.50 kg/ha under 100 80 and 60% of irrigation water, respectively at 150 ppm CS-ZnO-NPs.
The highest values of N, P and K content in wheat grain were 1.95, 0.43 and 1.66, respectively at 100% FC under150
ppm CS-ZnO-NPs compared to control. Zn content in wheat grain significantly increased (P≤0.05) by application of CS-ZnO-NPs. The interaction of supplementary irrigation water and CS-ZnO-NPs treatments gave clear variation in water
use efficiency. The highest relative increase of WUE (23.03%) was at the highest rate of CS-ZnO-NPs (150 ppm). Overall,
the data suggested that the foliar application of CS-ZnO-NPs can be an efficient strategy for improving wheat yield,
water use efficiency under deficit water and one of the solutions for Zn deficiency in wheat grains.
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