To assess and investigate the effects of application of superabsorbent polymer (SAP) and salicylic acid (SA) on performance of drought-affected sesame (Sesamum indicum L.), soil characteristics, and water productivity of irrigation (WPi). A randomized complete block design with split-strip plot arrangement and three replications in two successive cropping years was arranged. Two levels of irrigation consisting of supplying 50% and 100% of the sesame water requirement (deficit irrigation, DI and full irrigation, FI, respectively) were allocated to the main plots, and application of SAP (80 kg ha−1) was allocated to the subplots. Foliar application of SA (1 mM) and control was allocated to the strip plots. The results showed that the highest seed yield (SY) was obtained from DI, along with SAP and SA application. Under drought stress (DI), separate and simultaneous applications of SAP and SA increased WPi by 42% (SAP), 36% (SA), and 43% (SAP + SA), respectively, compared with control. The highest WPi was achieved through DI plus SAP application, which was 60% more than combination treatment of FI plus no-application of SAP. The results of principal component analysis (PCA) indicated that SY, seed weight per plant (SW), crop growth rate (CGR), and WPi were the effective variables of the first principal component (PC) and explained 67% of the total variance of the data. The nutritional management was effective in reducing drought stresses; moreover, the highest SY and biological yield (BY), CGR, the total amount of soil nitrogen (Soil N), and WPi were obtained in the simultaneous application of SAP and SA

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