Abstract
Biostimulants are the next-generation choice for sustainable agricultural production and are gradually becoming an alternative to synthetic chemicals. Various botanicals are proposed to exert stimulatory effects, and garlic allelochemicals are among such botanicals; however, a peer-reviewed scientific evaluation is required to understand garlic-derived substances such as biostimulants. Current studies were therefore performed to identify the bioactivity of garlic extract as a biostimulant to improve crop quality, alter its physiological potential, and prime its defense responses against pathogenic fungal infections. 100 µg mL−1 aqueous garlic extracts (AGE) in consort with 1 mM of acetyl salicylic acid (ASA) and distilled water as a control treatment were applied to eggplant and pepper seedlings as foliar application and fertigation methods. The results revealed stimulatory responses in the growth of the vegetables with improved plant height, number of leaves, root growth, fresh and dry weight, etc., due to AGE and ASA applications. Moreover, significant alterations were indicated in plant metabolites such as chlorophyll, carotenoids, and soluble sugars. Additionally, stimulation of the antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase (SOD) and peroxidase (POD), as well as the root activity of these plants, was observed after treatment. Application of AGE and ASA also exerted priming effects on pepper plants, inducing defense responses prior to Phytopthora capsici inoculation, and the treated plants therefore successfully resisted infection through activated antioxidant systems, and probably carotenoid and other protectory metabolites. Stress-induced H2O2 content was extremely low in the treated plants, indicating successful resistance against pathogenic infection.
Highlights
In recent years, plastic tunnels have been the choice of production among vegetable growers, for off-season production
Plant height was maximum (12.1 cm) in the seedlings applied with the foliar spray of aqueous garlic extracts (AGE) with statistical difference, followed by the same treatment applied as fertigation method (11.7 cm)
Our results indicated that AGE and acetyl salicylic acid (ASA) exerted priming effect on the seedlings modulating antioxidative systems, thereby enabling the plants to deal in dealpepper with the possible pathogen the infection
Summary
Plastic tunnels have been the choice of production among vegetable growers, for off-season production. For sustainable agriculture, the role of plastic tunnel. Sci. 2018, 8, 1505 production cannot be overlooked [1,2]. Due to its enclosed environment, the increase in humidity and fluctuations in the temperature often cause favorable conditions for the phytopathogens, which may seriously impair crop production [3]. To ascertain the safety of plants and safeguard against these phytopathogens, various synthetic chemicals are widely used in these production units. Scientific communities must try to find alternatives to these synthetic chemicals to ensure the production of safer and more environmentally friendly horticultural production. Agricultural biostimulants, for instance, could be considered a reasonable alternative
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