Water and salt stresses are among the most important global problems that limit the growth and production of several crops. The current study aims at the possibility of mitigating the effect of deficit irrigation of common bean plants growing in saline lands by foliar spraying with selenium via the assessment of growth, productivity, physiological, and biochemical measurements. In our study, two field-based trials were conducted in 2017 and 2018 to examine the influence of three selenium (Se) concentrations (0 (Se₀), 25 (Se₂₅), and 50 mg L⁻¹ (Se₅₀)) on common bean plants grown under full irrigation (I₁₀₀ = 100% of the crop evapotranspiration; ETc) and deficit irrigation (I₈₀ = 80% of ETc, and I₆₀ = 60% of ETc). Bean plants exposed to water stress led to a notable reduction in growth, yield, water productivity (WP), water status, SPAD value, and chlorophyll a fluorescence features (Fv/Fm and PI). However, foliar spraying of selenium at 25 or 50 mg L⁻¹ on stressed bean plants attenuated the harmful effects of water stress. The findings suggest that foliage application of 25 or 50 mg L⁻¹ selenium to common bean plants grown under I₈₀ resulted in a higher membrane stability index, relative water content, SPAD chlorophyll index, and better efficiency of photosystem II (Fv/Fm, and PI). Water deficit at 20% increased the WP by 17%; however, supplementation of 25 or 50 mg L⁻¹ selenium mediated further increases in WP up to 26%. Exogenous application of selenium (25 mg L⁻¹ or 50 mg L⁻¹) to water-stressed bean plants elevated the plant defense system component, given that it increased the free proline, ascorbic acid, and glutathione levels, as well as antioxidant enzymes (SOD, APX, GPX, and CAT). It was concluded that the application of higher levels (25 or/and 50 mg L⁻¹) of Se improves plant water status as well as the growth and yield of common beans cultivated in saline soil.

This study investigated the combined effects of zinc oxide nanoparticles (Nano-Zn) and moringa leaf extract (MLE) on squash plants grown under water stress conditions in saline soil during 2021–2022. The research compared full irrigation (100% ETc) with water deficit conditions (60% ETc). While water deficit negatively impacted plant growth, yield, and various physiological parameters, the sequential application of Nano-Zn (at 50 or 100 mg L⁻¹) with MLE (3%) significantly mitigated these adverse effects. The combined treatment proved more effective than individual applications, enhancing growth parameters, photosynthetic efficiency, and antioxidant systems. The treatment particularly improved stress tolerance by increasing protective compounds like soluble sugars and amino acids while reducing harmful H₂O₂ levels. The study concluded that sequential application of 100 mg L⁻¹ Nano-Zn with MLE was optimal for enhancing squash performance under drought stress, with 50 mg L⁻¹ Nano-Zn plus MLE as the second-best option.

This study was carried out during the winter seasons of 2016 and 2017 at private farm in Beni Suief Governorate, Egypt to investigate the integrative use of potassium levels (24, 48, 72 and 96 kg K₂O fed^-1) and soil mulching (rice straw and bare soil) on growth and productivity of garlic under three levels of surface irrigation (60, 80 and 100 % of crop evapotranspiration (ET_C)). The experimental layout was a spit-spilt plot system based on Randomized Complete Blocks Design. Irrigation levels, potassium rates and mulch types were randomly allocated in the main, sub and sub-sub plots, orderly. The obtained results showed that, the amount of irrigation at 80 and/or 100 % ET_C was accompanied increases by plant height, leaves number, leaf area and dry weight plant^-1, total bulbs yield, individual bulb weight, cloves weight and number bulb^-1 compared to irrigation 60 % ET_C. The application of potassium from 24 to 48 and further to 72 and 96 kg K₂O fed^-1 gave gradual increments in the aforementioned growth and productivity of traits. The rice straw mulch augmented all previous growth, total bulbs yield and its components compared to bare soil. Generally, the 1^st order interaction between irrigation percent at 100 and/or 80 % ET_C × potassium rate at 96 and/or 72 kg K₂O fed^-1, irrigation percent at 80 and/or 100 % ET_C × rice straw, potassium rate at 96 kg K₂O fed^-1 × rice straw and the 2^nd interaction of irrigation percent at 100 % ET_C × potassium rate at 96 kg K₂O fed^-1 × rice straw mulch had pronounced effects on morphological characters and bulbs yield and its components compared to other combined treatments.