Abstract
In the present study, the potential of ethylene as ethephon (an ethylene source) was investigated individually and in combination with split doses of nitrogen (N) and sulfur (S) soil treatments for removal of the damaging effects of salt stress (100 mM NaCl) in mustard (Brassica juncea L.). Plants were grown with 50 mg N plus 50 mg S kg−1 soil at sowing time and an equivalent dose at 20 days after sowing [N50 + S50]0d and 20d. Ethephon at 200 μL L‒1 was applied to combined split doses of N and S with or without NaCl. Plants subjected to NaCl showed a decrease in growth and photosynthetic characteristics as well as N and S assimilation, whereas proline metabolism and antioxidants increased. The application of ethephon to plants grown with split N and S doses significantly enhanced photosynthetic efficiency by increasing the assimilation of N and S, improving the concentration of proline and induction of the antioxidant system with or without NaCl. The regulation of ethylene and/or split forms of N and S application may be potential tools for not just overcoming salt stress effects in this species and in related Brassicaceae but also enhancing their photosynthesis and growth potential through increased nutrient assimilation.
Highlights
A remarkable increase in the population at the global level, combined with speedy industrialization in emergent countries, has caused issues for global food and energy needs
When Eth was added to NaCl combined with N and S treatments, we observed a greater increase, of 98%, in leaf area, while plant dry mass increased by 3.6 times compared to the plants under salt stress
Eth further enhanced leaf area by 12.5% and plant dry mass by 10.5% when compared to the treatment in which only split doses of N and S were supplied to NaCl-treated plants, suggesting that Eth application to split doses of N and S was better than treatment without Eth (Table 1)
Summary
A remarkable increase in the population at the global level, combined with speedy industrialization in emergent countries, has caused issues for global food and energy needs. Among various abiotic stress factors, salt stress is one of the important problems worldwide that limits reliable crop production and food security globally [2] It causes losses of about USD 27.5 billion and affects an area of approximately 936 Mha yearly nationwide [3,4]. Salt stress damages cellular membranes through reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation These ROS, which include superoxide anion (O2−), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), and hydroxyl radical (HO), are toxic, highly reactive [7,8], cause oxidation of proteins and lipids, and may cause DNA damage in different cellular compartments [9]. This results in increased carbonylated proteins and malondialdehyde (MDA) concentrations that are indicators of oxidative stress [10]
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