Investigating the using potential of Schiff base molecule as an exogenous antioxidant on barley seeds under salt stress conditions

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Salt stress is one of the most important environmental factors that affect agricultural lands and causes product loss. Today, the application of various natural or synthetic molecules exogenously to plants and efforts to increase plant tolerance against environmental stresses as a result of these applications have been widely investigated by scientists. In this study, a Schiff base molecule (0, 3, 6, and 9 µM), which has shown in vitro antioxidant properties, was applied to barley seeds under salt stress (0, 50, 150, and 250 mM NaCl). In order to evaluate the effects of this molecule on barley under salt stress, seed germination, growth parameters, lipid peroxidation, proline content, histochemical detection of superoxide and hydrogen peroxide radicals, and mitotic index analysis were conducted. According to the results, salt stress decreased germination parameters, plumule and radicle lengths, and mitotic index while it increased proline content, lipid peroxidation, and radical contents. Schiff base treatment clearly reduced lipid peroxidation and radical content in all groups. However, it also decreased germination and growth parameters and mitotic index. The obtained results showed that the antioxidant property of this molecule was also preserved in plants under stress, but it was also determined that the molecule had negative effects, primarily on cell division. If necessary modifications can be made to the molecule, the negative effects on cell division can be eliminated, and this molecule, which is very easy and cheap to obtain, may be widely used to increase the tolerance of plants against environmental stress.