Drought is one of the most emerging threat that causes a severe reduction in cotton plant growth and development. Being cotton is a major cash crop has great threat to prevailing drought events in Pakistan. A field experiment was conducted in Kharif season 2018 at Research Area of MNS-University of Agriculture, Multan, Pakistan to assess the role of foliar applied kaolin and jasmonic acid on vegetative growth, gas exchange and reproductive traits of cotton under normal irrigated and artificial water deficit conditions. The experiment was laid -out in a factorial randomized complete block design with split – split plot arrangement. Main plots were allocated for irrigation levels, sub-plots for two -cotton genotypes viz. NIAB − 878 and SLH − 19 while sub – sub plots for treatments of kaolin and Jasmonic acid. Water deficit stress was created by skipping irrigation at flowering for 21 days. Foliar sprays of Kaolin (5%, w/v) and Jasmonic acid (100 μM) were applied alone or in combination at 60 days after planntinon both to normal irrigated and water-stresse skip irrigation while irrigation water alone was sprayed in control plots. Both cotton genotypes responded variably to normal irrigated and skip conditions. Skipping irrigation for up to 21 days at flowering caused a significant decrease in leaf relative water content, SPAD values, net photosynthetic rate and seed cotton yield in both the genotypes. Seed cotton yield showed an overall decline of 24.7% in skip over Normal irrigated crop. The genotype NIAB − 878 produced maximum seed cotton yield of 3.304 Mg ha⁻¹ in normal that dropped to 2.579 Mg ha⁻¹ in skip, thus showing an average decline of 21.9 %. Similarly, SLH − 19 produced 2.537 Mg ha⁻¹ seed cotton under normal that dropped to 1.822 Mg ha⁻¹ in skip, showing an average decline of 28.2%. The Application of Kaolin and JA Jasmonic acid, either applied individually or in combination, improved vegetative and reproductive development of both cotton varieties in normal and skip regimes. However, combined kaolin and Jasmonic Acid application proved to be more beneficial in terms of seed cotton production and other parameters studied.

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Poor seedling germination and growth can result in large financial losses for farmers, thus, there is an urgent need for sustainable agricultural techniques to enhance seed germination and early growth. As an outcome, sustainable agriculture-which emphasizes the smart and effective utilization of resources-has gained popularity worldwide. At numerous levels, the field of nanotechnology is capable of significant benefit in achieving sustainable agricultural practices. Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) have been shown to have biostimulatory properties and serve as effective solutions for addressing environmental and biotic stressors. The purpose of this study, investigating Salvadora persica halophytic leaf extract -synthesized zinc oxide nanoparticles (S-ZnONPs) as nano-priming agents to ensure okra seeds germinated under stress-free conditions. From an application perspective, we examined the effect of seed priming with varying concentrations of S-ZnO NPs (0, 20 and 40 ppm) for 18 and 24 h of soaking. Results indicated that the germination rate of hybrid variety improved with 20 ppm at 18 h, increasing by 58.22%, while mean germination time reduced by 24.62%. An enhancement trend was observed in the shoot, root length, shoot and root fresh weight, shoot and root dry weight of hybrid variety at 20ppm with 18 h priming by 34.2, 84.3, 80.2, 47.4, 50.3, and 36.2%, respectively. However, chlorophyll pigments chl a, chl b, and carotenoids was significantly raised in desi variety by 42.4, 79.31, and 142.29% with 20 ppm at 18 h priming. Hydrogen per oxide decreased up to 87.8% with 40 ppm at 24 h in hybrid variety, while, in desi variety H₂O₂ was reduced 88.3% with 20 ppm at 24 h. Non enzymatic antioxidant activities such as ascorbic acid, was highly increased 130.6% in hybrid at 24 h priming with 20 ppm dose. Flavonoids raised in same variety by 166.1% with 20 ppm at 18 h. Proline content was increased by 144.5% with 40ppm at 18 h. Moreover, Antioxidant enzymes, superoxide dismutase, peroxidase and catalase were significantly increased in both varieties with both levels of S-ZnO NPs and priming time. This cost-effective and environmentally safe technique to produce nanoparticles of different halophytic plants can maximize resource utilization, supporting sustainable agriculture by minimizing adverse environmental effects without compromising efficiency.