This study was conducted to compare the potential of physical and chemical seed priming with weak microwave radiation (MR) and salicylic acid (SA), respectively, on enhancing photosynthetic performance, leaf water relations and osmotic potential, yield, yield components, and water-use efficiency (WUE), and alleviating oxidative stress damage in two wheat genotypes under well-watered and drought-stressed (DS) conditions. Two wheat genotypes (Giza 168 as drought sensitive and Gharbiya as drought tolerant) were used for this study. Results revealed that drought stress led to significant changes in the vital physiological, growth, and yield traits, especially in drought-sensitive genotype. Both seed pre-sowing treatments significantly improved yield, yield components, and WUE of wheat genotypes with superior impact under DS conditions. The alleviation of drought-induced damage on yield, yield components by the application of seed pretreatments could be ascribed to their effect on improving relative water content with reducing membrane permeability. However, the effect of SA was more related to improved management of photooxidative damage and light-harvesting pigments, while the effect of MR was more ascribed to improved osmotic adjustment and decreasing H 2 O 2 accumulation. Overall, MR found to be a fast and economical technique than SA for alleviating the adverse effects of drought on wheat genotypes.

中文翻译：

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微波辐射与水杨酸种子预播处理减轻小麦旱灾影响的比较研究

本研究旨在比较物理和化学种子引发与弱微波辐射 (MR) 和水杨酸 (SA) 分别在增强光合性能、叶水关系和渗透势、产量、产量成分和水分方面的潜力。使用效率 (WUE)，并减轻在充足浇水和干旱胁迫 (DS) 条件下两种小麦基因型的氧化应激损伤。本研究使用了两种小麦基因型（Giza 168 作为干旱敏感型，Gharbiya 作为耐旱型）。结果表明，干旱胁迫导致重要生理、生长和产量性状发生显着变化，尤其是干旱敏感基因型。两种种子预播处理都显着提高了小麦基因型的产量、产量构成和 WUE，在 DS 条件下具有优越的影响。通过应用种子预处理减轻干旱对产量、产量成分的损害可归因于它们在提高相对含水量和降低膜渗透性方面的作用。然而，SA 的作用更多地与改善光氧化损伤和捕光色素的管理有关，而 MR 的作用更多地归因于改善渗透调节和减少 H 2 O 2 积累。总体而言，MR 被发现是一种比 SA 更快、更经济的技术，可以减轻干旱对小麦基因型的不利影响。SA 的效果更多地与改善光氧化损伤和捕光色素的管理有关，而 MR 的效果更多地归因于改善渗透调节和减少 H 2 O 2 积累。总体而言，MR 被发现是一种比 SA 更快、更经济的技术，可以减轻干旱对小麦基因型的不利影响。SA 的效果更多地与改善光氧化损伤和捕光色素的管理有关，而 MR 的效果更多地归因于改善渗透调节和减少 H 2 O 2 积累。总体而言，MR 被发现是一种比 SA 更快、更经济的技术，可以减轻干旱对小麦基因型的不利影响。