Rhizospheric Addition of Hydrogel Polymer and Zeolite Plus Glutathione Mitigate the Hazard Effects of Water Deficiency On Common Bean Plants Through Enhancing the Defensive Antioxidants

Abstract Currently, the world is facing many troubles in crop production and the irrigation water deficit is the most harmful among them. Saving irrigation water is the main target for all countries of the world, especially in arid areas. Field trial was executed aiming to assess the influence of irrigation regimes (100, 80 and 60% of irrigation requirements, IR (IR 100 , IR 80 and IR 60 , respectively), water-absorbent substances (control, hydrogel polymer and zeolite as soil addition) and foliar application of glutathione (GSH) [with GSH or without] on the performance of common bean plants. Findings clarified that plant fresh weight obtained with the combination of IR 80 × zeolite × GSH had no significant differences with the superior combination of IR 100 × hydrogel polymer or zeolite × GSH. Hydrogel polymer plus GSH supply showed distinctive enhancements for N, P and K accumulation in common bean leaves. Application of zeolite plus GSH reduced the accumulation of POX and CAT by 21.8 and 15.5% under IR 80 and 16.1 and 7.6% under IR 60 , respectively. Spraying of GSH × hydrogel polymer under IR 100, IR 80 and IR 60 significantly increased the value of pods yield by 26.5%, 25.23% and 32.80, respectively, as compared to corresponding control treatment. the interaction of IR 100 and hydrogel polymer whether with or without GSH showed the highest significant values of N, P, protein, fiber, carbohydrates percentages and TDS. Briefly, it can be concluded that water holding amendments i.e., polymer and zeolite as well as low-molecular-weight antioxidants i.e., glutathione can mitigate the hazard impacts of elevated reactive oxygen species production under drought. Practically, common bean growers are advised to treat the soil with available soil amendment (hydrogel polymer, 0.24 t ha −1 or zeolite, 1.20 t ha −1 ) and spraying common bean plants by glutathione, 1.0 mM to sustain the crop productivity and quality under shortage water conditions