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Effect of Soil Zinc Deficiency on Morphological Traits, Yield, and Yield Components and Activity of Zinc-Containing Enzymes in Zn-Efficient and -Inefficient Bread Wheat Cultivars

ABSTRACT To investigate the effect of soil Zn deficiency on some morphological characteristics of common wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), a factorial experiment was performed in a completely randomized design with three replications in a greenhouse. Zn-efficient and -inefficient cultivars were grown in two conditions of Zn adequacy and deficiency and some morphological traits, as well as Zn concentrations of grain, root, and leaf were recorded. Also, the activity of enzymes alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), guaiacol peroxidase (GPX), and polyphenol oxidase (PPO) was evaluated in both roots and leaves at two stages, 30 days after germination (vegetative) and 30% spiking (reproductive). The results showed that in Zn deficiency conditions, the root Zn concentration of Zn-efficient cultivars was significantly (P ≤ .01) higher than those of Zn-inefficient cultivars. Also, grain Zn concentration in Hamoon (Zn-efficient) was significantly (P ≤ .01) higher than Zn-inefficient cultivars. Decreases in shoot dry yield (12.8%), Zn concentrations of root and grain (18%), and leaf chlorophyll content (54%) in Zn-inefficient cultivars were higher than Zn-efficient cultivars. The activity of ALP, ADH, and PPO was declined under Zn deficiency conditions while the activity of GPX was increased in this condition. In conclusion, the results of this study showed that Zn-efficient cultivars produce better yield than Zn-inefficient cultivars under Zn deficiency condition and are able to store much Zn in the grains. Also, under Zn deficiency conditions, the activity of Zn-containing enzymes in Zn-efficient cultivars is more than the Zn-inefficient ones.