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AMINOLEVULINIC
ACID-INDUCED CHANGES IN YIELD AND SEED-OIL CHARACTERISTICS OF SUNFLOWER
(HELIANTHUS ANNUUS L.) PLANTS UNDER SALT
STRESS
NUDRAT AISHA AKRAM1*,
MUHAMMAD ASHRAF2,3, AND F. AL-QURAINY3
Abstract:
Effectiveness of a
potential plant growth regulator, 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) on
improving yield and regulating some potential physio-chemical attributes
of seed and oil of two sunflower cultivars was examined in a greenhouse
experiment. Four varying levels of ALA 20, 50 and 80 mg L-1
were applied foliarly to the two sunflower cultivars (Hysun-33 and
S-278) grown under saline (150 mM NaCl) and non-saline (0 mM NaCl)
conditions. Salt stress adversely affected the
achenes/plant, total achene yield, 100-achene weight, seed moisture
content, seed oil percentage, seed K+ and P concentrations of
both sunflower cultivars, while in contrast, salt-induced increase in
the accumulation of Cl- and Na+ in seed as well
as α-tocopherols in oil of both sunflower cultivars. However, no
significant change in seed organic and inorganic contents, oil
refractive index (RI) and seed Ca2+ content was observed due
to salt stress in both sunflower cultivars. Foliar-applied varying
levels ALA remained ineffective in improving all yield variables, oil
refractive index and seed inorganic nutrients (Na+, Cl-,
K+ and P) of both sunflower cultivars under saline and
non-saline regimes. However, a significant increase in seed oil
concentration, accumulation of oil α-tocopherols and seed P of both
sunflower cultivars was observed due to foliar-applied 20 and 80 mg L-1
of ALA under saline conditions. Overall, ALA was ineffective in
ameliorating the salt-induced adverse effects on yield and different
seed-oil characteristics except of seed P and oil α-tocopherols in
sunflower plants.
1Department of Botany, GC University, Faisalabad, Pakistan
2Department of Botany, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan
3Department of Botany & Microbiology, King Saud University Riyadh, Saudi
Arabia
*Corresponding author’s
email: nudrataauaf@yahoo.com
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