Effect of Water Stress and Foliar Application of Agrochemicals on Quality Parameters of Chia (Salvia hispanica L.)

A field experiment was carried out during the rabi season of 2024–25 at the College of Agriculture, Agriculture University, Jodhpur (Rajasthan), to study the effect of water stress and foliar application of agrochemicals on quality attributes of chia (Salvia hispanica L.). The experiment was laid out in a split plot design with three irrigation levels, recommended irrigation (I0), one irrigation skip (I1) and two irrigation skips (I2) and four foliar-applied agrochemicals viz., control, thiourea, potassium nitrate and salicylic acid, replicated thrice. Results revealed that increasing water stress significantly reduced nitrogen, protein, oil content and swelling factor of chia seeds, while phosphorus and potassium contents were unaffected. Recommended irrigation recorded the highest nitrogen (3.471%), protein (21.70 g 100 g-1), oil content (25.99%) and swelling factor (9.30 cc g-1), whereas two irrigation skips resulted in the lowest values. Total phenol content increased under water stress, with the highest value under two irrigation skips (79.72 mg GAE 100 g-1). Foliar application of potassium nitrate proved most effective in improving nitrogen (3.398%), protein (21.24 g 100 g-1) and swelling factor (9.48 cc g-1), while thiourea enhanced oil content (25.66%). The study concludes that potassium nitrate and thiourea mitigate water stress and improve chia seed quality under arid conditions.