الفهرس 
Chapter 1 IntroductionOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
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Abstract
Wheat is a staple food globally, yet in Egypt, domestic production is insufficient, necessitating heavy imports due to challenges like drought exacerbated by geopolitical and environmental factors. This study investigates the potential of Spirulina platensis aqueous extract (SPAE) as a biostimulant to enhance drought tolerance in wheat. A semi-field experiment involving two wheat cultivars, Shandawel 1 (drought-sensitive) and Sakha 95 (drought-tolerant), was conducted at Mansoura University, Egypt. The cultivars underwent four treatments, including controls and drought simulations, with subsets receiving SPAE. Measurements of morphological, physiological, and biochemical characteristics were taken at critical growth stages, with drought imposed for 21 days followed by re-watering. The results indicate that SPAE treatment significantly improves root and shoot agronomy, enhances photosynthetic efficiency, and bolsters cellular and biochemical resilience against drought stress. Statistical analyses, including ANOVA and PCA, affirmed the efficacy of SPAE in mitigating drought impacts and enhancing growth and productivity. These findings suggest that SPAE could be a viable agricultural practice to improve drought resilience in wheat, contributing to food security in arid regions.