Improvement of cold tolerance of winter oilseed rape by exogenous amino acids

Abstract

Research was carried out at the Experimental Station of Aleksandras Stulginskis University on Calc(ar)i-Endohypogleyic Luvisol (LVg-n-w-cc) during 2014–2017. The effect of exogenous amino acids on the cold tolerance of the linear cultivar ‘Cult’ of winter oilseed rape (Brassica napus L. spp. oleifera biennis Metzg.) was studied. In autumn the plants were sprayed with L-proline and L-glutamic acid one or two times. The biometric parameters of winter oilseed rape prepared for wintering, the amount of endogenous proline and over-wintering of plants were evaluated. It was determined that exogenous L-proline and L-glutamic acid stimulated the growth of green mass of the winter rape surface, accumulation of dry matter and increase of the root neck diameter in the autumn period. The investigated concentrations of L-proline and L-glutamic acid stimulated a more intensive synthesis of endogenous proline in winter oilseed rape plants during the preparation for wintering. The highest percentage of over-wintering has been determined in the variants where in the autumn plants were sprayed two times with 30 mM l–1 L-proline or 1.5 M l–1 L-glutamic acid.