Impact of Salinity and Zinc Application on Growth, Physiological and Yield Traits in Wheat

Globally salinity impairs the productivity potential of agricultural land. Apart from salinity, there are a number of factors responsible for the stagnation of wheat productivity. This problem is becoming acute day by day due to improper management of natural resources. Salinity has repressive effects on physiological characteristics of wheat. Soil salinity affects plant growth by creating water and ionic imbalance in the plant due to the presence of toxic ions. Salt-affected plants exhibit stunted growth and have darker leaf colour. Nutrient deficiency is another yield-limiting factor and this problem is aggravating gradually due to intensive cultivation, imbalanced and injudicious usage of fertilizers. The widespread deficiency of nitrogen and phosphorus is followed by Zn deficiency. Zinc is an important component of proteins and acts as a structural, functional or regulatory cofactor of a number of enzymes. Moreover, it plays a significant role in plant metabolism. Generally, the presence of excess salt decreases photosynthesis, total carbohydrate, fatty acid and protein, therefore, zinc has the tendency to offset the negative effects of salinity on plant growth.