Summary
This field trial evaluated seed coating with hydrophilic polymers as a drought adaptation strategy for maize production in Iran's semi-arid Yasuj region across 2022–2023. Hydrophilic polymer treatment significantly enhanced root development (length +27.7%, surface area +18.9%), physiological stress indicators, and grain yield (+2 t ha⁻¹, +29% vs. control), with benefits persisting even under drought conditions in 2023, though yield gains were largest under the more favourable 2022 growing season.
Regional applicability
Findings are directly relevant to United Kingdom arable farming given increasing climate variability and seasonal water stress risk; however, UK conditions (cooler, wetter growing seasons; different maize cultivars and soils) would require validation before adoption. The polymer coating approach is agnostic to geography and transferable, but yield response magnitudes and optimal polymer formulations may differ under UK rainfall patterns and soil types.
Key measures
Root length, root surface area, leaf relative water content (LRWC), normalised difference vegetation index (NDVI), photochemical reflectance index (PRI), leaf and root biomass, thousand-grain weight, grain yield (t ha⁻¹)
Outcomes reported
The study measured effects of hydrophilic polymer seed coating on maize physiological traits (leaf relative water content, vegetation indices, root morphology) and yield components across two growing seasons with variable rainfall. HP-coated seeds were compared with untreated controls in terms of root development, biomass, grain weight, and total grain yield under contrasting climatic conditions.
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