Vegetos

Abstract

The objective of the study was to study the effect of salicylic acid treatment on the photosynthetic parameters of drought, salinity and their combined stress treated in vitro raised seedlings of Indian mustard. Salicylic acid is a significant signaling molecule which modulates plants counter-act to abiotic stresses. The present work was carried out to observe two sets of seven days old in vitro raised seedlings, subjected to three levels of water stress (5%, 10%, 15% PEG), salinity (50 mM, 100 mM, 150 mM NaCl) and combinations (Com. 1 (2.5% PEG + 25 mM NaCl); Com. 2(5% PEG + 50 mM NaCl); Com. 3(7.5% PEG + 75 mM NaCl)), On the other hand second set of experimental plates were also treated with same stress conditions along with 8 ?m SA application. The results elucidated that seedlings supplemented with SA significantly ameliorated the stress in terms of protecting and maintaining the concentration of photosynthetic pigments under both normal and stressed conditions. Moreover, the toxic effects generated by the higher concentration of drought like due to 7.5% PEG, salinity like of 150 mM NaCl and their combination like 7.5% PEG + 75 mM NaCl were completely ameliorated by the application of SA. It was, therefore, observed that SA effectively improved the photosynthetic parameters under stressed conditions.