Sci Rep. 2026 May 5;16(1):14285. doi: 10.1038/s41598-026-43596-4.
ABSTRACT
WATER SCARCITY IS ONE OF THE MAJOR CHALLENGES TO SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT. THIS CHALLENGE WILL INCREASE AS CLIMATE CHANGE CONTINUES, THE WORLD'S POPULATION GROWS AND THE DEMAND FOR FOOD INCREASES. THEREFORE, IT IS NECESSARY TO LOOK FOR AGRICULTURAL SOLUTIONS AND PRACTICES TO INCREASE FOOD PRODUCTION WHILE USING LESS WATER. THE STUDY WAS CONDUCTED TO INVESTIGATE THE EFFECTS OF PARTIAL ROOT-ZONE IRRIGATION (50% PRI) AND PACLOBUTRAZOL (GROWTH REGULATOR, PBZ) ON THE CAULIFLOWER CROP. THIS STUDY AIMS TO INCREASE THE WATER STRESS RESISTANCE OF THE CAULIFLOWER CROP. THEREFORE, PACLOBUTRAZOL WAS APPLIED 20 AND 40 DAYS AFTER PLANTING WITH DIFFERENT CONCENTRATIONS (0, 25, 50, 75 PPM). IN ADDITION, TRADITIONAL DRIP IRRIGATION (APPLYING 100% OF THE IRRIGATION REQUIREMENT) WAS USED FOR COMPARISON TO 50% PRI UNDER SANDY LOAM SOIL CONDITIONS. THE RESULTS INDICATED THAT THE SOIL MOISTURE CONTENT BEFORE IRRIGATION INCREASED WITH INCREASING PACLOBUTRAZOL CONCENTRATION UNDER TRADITIONAL DRIP IRRIGATION AND THE 50% PRI METHOD COMPARED TO THE CONTROL (0 PPM PACLOBUTRAZOL). CONSERVING SOIL WATER IS LIKELY DUE TO THE USE OF PACLOBUTRAZOL, WHICH MAY REDUCE THE RATE OF TRANSPIRATION FROM PLANTS. ALTHOUGH SOME GROWTH CHARACTERISTICS WERE REDUCED, PLANTS SHOWED NO OBVIOUS SIGNS OF WILTING UNDER 50% PRI WITH PACLOBUTRAZOL, AS SOIL MOISTURE CONTENT WAS MAINTAINED WITHIN AVAILABLE WATER LIMITS. MOREOVER, CAULIFLOWER YIELD UNDER 50% PRI WITH 75 PPM PACLOBUTRAZOL SHOWED A SLIGHT DECREASE JUST 1.06% AND 1.75% LOWER THAN YIELDS ACHIEVED UNDER TRADITIONAL DRIP IRRIGATION WITH 0 PPM PACLOBUTRAZOL DURING THE TWO GROWING SEASONS, RESPECTIVELY. ON THE OTHER HAND, THE HIGHEST IRRIGATION WATER PRODUCTIVITY WAS ACHIEVED WITH 50% PRI AND 75 PPM PACLOBUTRAZOL, WHICH SHOWED AN INCREASE OF APPROXIMATELY 49% COMPARED TO TRADITIONAL DRIP IRRIGATION WITHOUT PACLOBUTRAZOL. THESE RESULTS INDICATE THAT COMBINING 50% PARTIAL ROOT-ZONE IRRIGATION (PRI) WITH 75 PPM PACLOBUTRAZOL APPLICATION MAY ACHIEVE COMPARABLE YIELDS TO TRADITIONAL DRIP IRRIGATION (100% WATER REQUIREMENT), WHILE REDUCING IRRIGATION WATER USE BY 50%. FINALLY, AS WE ADDRESS FUTURE CHANGES IN WATER AVAILABILITY, IT IS IMPORTANT TO DEVELOP A LONG-TERM WATER MANAGEMENT STRATEGY.
PMID:42086612 | DOI:10.1038/s41598-026-43596-4