Influence of seaweed extracts on the growth, some metabolic activities and yield of wheat grown under drought stress – IJAAR

Wedad A. Kasim Elsayed A.M. Hamada, Nehal G. Shams El-Din, SalwaK.Eskander

Botany Department, Faculty of Science, Tanta University, Tanta, Egypt

National Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries, Alexandria, Egypt

Key words: Drought stress, growth criteria, peroxidase, photosynthetic pigments, Sargassumlatifolium, Triticumaestivum, Ulvalactuca.

Abstract

The physiological effect of drought on the 30-days-old Triticumaestivum plants was assessed and the alleviating role of seaweed extracts (Sargassumlatifolium, Ulvalactucaandtheir mixture) on drought stress was evaluated. Drought treatment (40% and 20% field capacity) resulted in a significant decrease in some growth criteria, photosynthetic pigments and activity. Furthermore, it led to oxidative stress and increased cell membrane leakage in the stressed wheat plants and resulted in the increase of antioxidant (enzymatic and non-enzymatic) defense mechanism. Pretreatment with seaweed extract of Sargassum (1.5%) or Ulva (1%) led to the alleviation of the above mentioned damaging effects of drought on Triticumaestivumduringvegetative stage while a mix of the two types of seaweed extracts resulted in antagonistic effect. Seaweed extractof Sargassumor Ulva antagonizes the oxidative damaging effects of drought not only directly through activating the antioxidative system, such as catalase, peroxidase and ascorbate, but also through providing hormones and micro nutrients essential for wheat growth.

Get the original articles in Source: Volume 7, Number 2, August 2015 – IJAAR

Journal Name: International Journal of Agronomy and Agricultural Research (IJAAR)

Published By: International Network for Natural Sciences