Abstract
Abstract
Climate change and increasing drought frequency pose serious threats to maize (
Zea mays
L.) production in arid and semi-arid regions. Hydrophilic polymers (HPs), due to their high water absorption and retention capacity, represent a promising strategy to mitigate water stress and enhance crop resilience. This study evaluated the effects of seed coating with HPs on maize yield and yield components under variable climatic conditions in Yasuj, Iran, during 2022 and 2023. A randomized complete block design with five replications was implemented, comparing HP-coated seeds with untreated controls. Physiological traits—including leaf relative water content (LRWC), normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), and photochemical reflectance index (PRI)—as well as root morphological characteristics and yield components were measured. Results demonstrated that HP application significantly increased root length (27.7%), root surface area (18.9%), LRWC, NDVI, and PRI compared to the control. Moreover, HP treatment enhanced leaf and root biomass, thousand-grain weight, and overall grain yield by an average of 2 t ha⁻¹ (29%). Interaction analysis revealed that favorable climatic conditions in 2022 combined with HP application produced the highest yield performance, while drought in 2023 reduced trait values but HP still alleviated stress effects.