10.57647/j.jrs.2024.1403.25

Application of 24-epibrassinolide as an Environmentally Friendly Strategy Alleviates Negative Effects of Salinity Stress in Satureja khuzistanica Jamzad

  1. Research and Technology Institute of Plant Production (RTIPP), Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Kerman, Iran
  2. Department of Nature Engineering and Medicinal Plants, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Torbat Heydarieh, Torbat Heydarieh, Iran
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Published 2024-07-15

How to Cite

Saadatfar, A., & Hossein Jafari, S. (2024). Application of 24-epibrassinolide as an Environmentally Friendly Strategy Alleviates Negative Effects of Salinity Stress in Satureja khuzistanica Jamzad. Journal of Rangeland Science, 14(3). https://doi.org/10.57647/j.jrs.2024.1403.25

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Abstract

Satureja khuzistanica Jamzad is an endemic medicinal plant which grows naturally in arid rangelands of south west of Iran. It is also being cultivated in arid regions with salt problems. So, it is necessary to find a method to develop its cultivation under salinity condition. This study was aimed to determine the effects of 24-epibrassinolide (EBL) in three levels (0, 1 and 2 µM) on the reduction of the negative effects of salinity on morpho-physiological and biochemical traits in S. khuzistanica plant under four salt levels (0, 3, 6, 9 ds/m). A pot experiment was conducted using factorial experiment based on a completely randomized design with three replications in a greenhouse at Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Iran in 2021. The results of ANOVA showed that the values of all morphological traits including stem and root lengths, fresh and dry weights of aerial parts significantly reduced with increasing salt concentration (p<0.01). The results showed that application of 1 and 2 µM EBL had better performance at all salt levels. The amounts of total chlorophyll, N, P+, K+ and K+/Na+ had significantly reduced by increasing the salt concentration alone and combined with EBL. The highest amounts of the latter traits were observed at 2µM EBL without salt. The amounts of anthocyanin, proline, sugar and Na+ significantly increased by rising salt levels. The highest amounts of anthocyanin with values of 38.64 and 38.21 mg/g were obtained at 9 ds/m salt coupled with 2 and 1 µM EBL, respectively. The lower amount of Na was observed under 2µM EBL. The highest sugar value (2.02 mg/g) was observed in 9 ds/m salt coupled with 2µM EBL. Similarly, for proline content, the highest values of 0.315 and 0.312 mg/g were obtained in 9 ds/m salt coupled with 1 and 2µM EBL, respectively. There was no significant difference between 1 and 2 µM EBL levels in terms of proline. In overall, 2µM EBL was the best treatment to alleviate the negative effects of salt at all treatments. According to our findings, 24-epibrassinolide application at the appropriate dose (2µM) as an environmentally friendly strategy can be useful to improve S. khuzistanica tolerance and its production in arid rangelands with salt problems.

Keywords

  • Arid rangelands,
  • EBL,
  • Physiological traits,
  • Salinity,
  • Savory