Enhancing Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) Tolerance to Salinity through Plant Growth Regulators
Hasib Bin Saif *
Planning & Evaluation Wing, Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute, Gazipur, Bangladesh.
Nadira Mokarroma
Plant Physiology Division, Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute, Gazipur, Bangladesh.
Kanis Fatema Ruma
Planning & Evaluation Wing, Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute, Gazipur, Bangladesh.
Md. Amirul Islam
Planning & Evaluation Wing, Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute, Gazipur, Bangladesh.
Md. Rezaul Karim
Regional Horticulture Research Station, Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute, Patuakhali, Bangladesh.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
During the period of 2020-21, a research study was carried out at the Plant Protective Culture Unit within the semi-controlled environmental settings of the Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute. The aim of the study was to mitigate the negative impacts of salinity stress on chickpea by applying various concentrations of salicylic acid (SA) and gibberellic acid (GA3). Plants were subjected to four different levels of salinity stress, including a control group, mild stress, moderate stress, and severe stress. This was achieved by irrigating them with four varying concentrations of saline water (5, 7.5, 10 and 12.5 dSm-1) starting from the 14th day after sowing (DAS) and continuing until maturity at 100 DAS. On the other hand, the control plants received regular irrigation with tap water. Two concentrations of salicylic acid (SA) specifically 200 ppm and 400 ppm, along with gibberellic acid (GA3) at 10 ppm and 20 ppm, were administered as a foliar spray once a week, commencing at 20 days after sowing (DAS) and continuing until the flowering stage. Data related to chlorophyll levels in the leaves and water-related traits, including relative water content (RWC) and water retention capacity (WRC) were collected seven days after the foliar spray of these plant growth regulators at the flowering stage. Additionally, measurements of total dry weight, yield, and various yield-contributing factors were taken at the point of maturity. The results indicated that chickpea suffered adverse consequences due to salinity stress which included a reduction in chlorophyll content, a decrease in relative water content, a decline in water retention capacity, a decrease in total dry weight and a lower overall yield. However, the foliar application of different doses of salicylic acid (SA) and gibberellic acid (GA3) under varying levels of salinity stress had beneficial effects in alleviating the impact of salinity stress. Interestingly, it was observed that lower concentrations of SA at 200 ppm and GA3 at 10 ppm were more effective in mitigating the adverse effects of salinity stress and improving salinity tolerance in chickpea, especially under mild salinity stress conditions (5 dSm-1) as evidenced by the positive influence on the parameters mentioned above.
Keywords: Salinity tolerance, Chickpea, gibberellic acid, salicylic acid, tolerance
How to Cite
Downloads
References
Ahmad P, Jelell CA, Azooz MM, Nabi G. Generation of ROS and non-enzymatic antioxidants during abiotic stress in plants. Botany Research International. 2009;2(1): 11-20.
SRDI. Saline soils of Bangladesh. SRMAF project, Ministry of Agriculture, Govt. Peoples Republic of Bangladesh. 2013;35.
Alam AHMJ, Islam MT. Climate change impacts on preferred planting time of rice at Coastal Paikgacha Upazila of Khulna District. Bangladesh Journal of Environment Science. 2018;34:15-18.
Ali HMH, Siddiqui Basalah MO, Al-Whaibi M.H, Sakran AM, Al-Amri A. Effects of gibberellic acid on growth and photosynthetic pigments of Hibiscus sabdarifa L. under salt stress. African Journal of Biotechnology. 2012;11(4): 800-804.
Aydin B, Nalbantoglu B. Effects of cold and salicylic acid treatments on nitrate reductase activity in spinach leaves. Turkish Journal of Biology. 2011;35: 443-448.
FAO. World Food and agriculture, statistical yearbook 2022. Rome; 2018.
Available:https://doi.org/10 .4060/ cc2211en.
Gomez KA, Gomez AA. Statistical procedures for agricultural research. 2nd Edition, John Wiley and Sons, New York. 1984;680.
Hayat Q, Hayat S, Irfan M, Ahmad A. Effect of exogenous salicylic acid under changing environment: a review. Environmental and Experimental Botany. 2010;68(1):14-25.
Hossain MI, Mannan MA, Karim MA. Salicylic acid and gibberelic acid ameliorates the adverse effects of salinity on chickpea. Bangladesh Agronomy Journal. 2015;18(1):81-88.
Hussain M, Malik MA, Farooq M, Khan MB, Akram M, Saleem MF. Exogenous glycinebetaine and salicylic acid application improves water relations, allometry and quality of hybrid sunflower under water deficit conditions. Journal of Agronomy and Crop Science. 2009;195:98-109.
Kaya C, Tuna AL, Yokas I. The role of plant hormones in plants under salinity stress. Springer, New York. 2009;145.
Szepesi A, Csiszar J, Bajkan S, Gemes K, Horvath F, Erdei L, Deer AK, Simon ML, Tari I. Role of salicylic acid pre-treatment on the acclimation of tomato plants to salt and osmotic stress. Acta Biologica Szegediensis. 2005;49:123-125.
Witham H, Blade DFS, Devin RH. Exercise in plant physiology (2nd Edition). PWS Publishers, Boston, USA. 1986;128-131.
Yildirim E, Turanand M, Guvenc I. Effect of foliar salicylic acid applications on growth, chlorophyll and mineral content of cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) grown under salt stress. Journal of Plant Nutrition. 2008;31(3):593-612.
Zeid IM. Alleviation of seawater stress during germination and early growth of barley. International Journal of Agriculture: Research and Review. 2011;1(2):59-67.
Maggio A, Barbieri N, Raimondi D, Pascale S. Contrasting effects of GA3 treatments on tomato plants exposed to increasing salinity. Journal of Plant Growth Regulation. 2010;29(1):63-72.
Maity U, Bera AK. Effect of exogenous application of brassinolide and salicylic acid on certain physiological and biochemical aspects of gram green (Vigna radiata L. Wilczek). Indian Journal of Agricultural Research. 2009;43(3):194-199.
Manchanda HR, Sharma SK. Tolerance of chloride and sulfate salinity in chickpea (Cicer arietinum). The Journal of Agricultural Science. 1990;113(3):407-410.
Muhammad M, Chowdhury MAT, Sarwar I. Floristic condition and species distribution in Sundarban mangrove forest community, Bangladesh. Journal of Biological Science. 2007;7(2):384-388.
Sairam RK, Rao KV, Srivastava GC. Differential response of wheat genotypes to long term salinity stress relation to oxidative stress, antioxidant activity and osmolyte concentration. Plant Science. 2002;163:1037-1046.
Siddiky MA, Sardar PK, Hossain MM, Khan MS, Uddin MK. Screening of different tomato varieties in saline areas of Bangladesh. International Journal of Agricultural Research Innovation & Technology. 2012;2(1):13-18.