PJB-2023-107
Influence of salicylic acid and potassium foliar supplementation on biochemical attributes in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) under saline conditions
FARZANA SHAHEEN
Abstract
A number of factors pose a serious threat to the agricultural sector, but salinity is one of the most pressing problems in this sector at the present time. The salinity of the soil transforms it into an unfavorable environment for plant growth, making it increasingly difficult for farmers to cultivate healthy and high-quality crops, resulting in economic loss. The purpose of this study was to investigate the ameliorative effects of exogenously applied various doses of salicylic acid and potassium on various biochemical properties in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) genotypes that had been subjected to the effects of NaCl salinity stress. Using WL-711 and Kohistan-97 wheat genotypes grown under 12 dSm-1 NaCl salinity stress, the mediating effects of salicylic acid and potassium as foliar supplements on biochemical characteristics in response to salinity stress were studied. Total soluble proteins (TSP) and TSS in wheat cultivars were significantly affected by salinity stress. Foliar spray of potassium and salicylic acid significantly increased total soluble proteins up to maximum level (7.30 mg g-1 FW) and showed remarkable difference in control plants without foliar spray. TSS concentration increased under salt stress, but foliar potassium (0.02%) maintained total soluble sugars. Total free amino acid (TFAA) also increased significantly, with WL-711 exposed to salt stress having the highest TFAA at vegetative stage and the lowest at grain filling stage in genotype Kohistan-97 without foliar spray.At grain filling, salicylic acid and potassium foliar application maintains TFAA under salt stress. Salinity significantly reduced nitrite reductase activity (NiRA), while foliar application showed significant variations (P < 0.001). Foliar application increased NiRA at vegetative stage under saline conditions. Based on the results of this research, it can be concluded that increasing the salicylic acid and potassium levels in a plant's foliar spray increased the plant's total soluble solids, nitrate reductase activity, and nitrite reductase activity and mitigated the negative effects of salinity stress on free amino acid and sugar concentrations. The negative effects of salinity on wheat were reduced to an acceptable level by adding 0.02% salicylic acid and 0.1% potassium.
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