Mitigation of Salinity Effects by Salicylic Acid Priming on Germination and Physiological Characteristics of Bitter Vetch (Vicia ervilia L.)

Abstract

Salinity is one of the most important environmental stresses affecting the growth and yield of the plants. The effect of salicylic acid (SA) on growth, germination, and some physiological traits of bitter vetch (Vicia ervilia L.) exposed to salinity was studied in a factorial experiment based on a randomized complete block design with three replications. The experimental treatments were composed of salinity at three levels of 0, 50 and 100 mM and SA priming at three rates of 0, 0.1 and 0.2 mM. The results showed that as salinity was increased, germination and the related traits, seedling growth, and the Hill reaction rate were declined, but mean germination time and cell death were increased. SA application at the rates of 0.1 and 0.2 mM improved these parameters as compared to control. At the salinity levels of 50 and 100 mM, SA rates of 0.2 and 0.1 mM imposed the strongest effect on germination parameters and plant growth. At the salinity level of 100 mM, SA rate of 0.2 mM was more effective on leaf relative water content, seedling fresh weight, root and stem length, and root and stem fresh weight. At different levels of salinity, 0.2 mM SA increased the Hill reaction rate and cell death of bitter vetch. The application of SA under salinity stress for improvement of germination parameters, seedling growth, and physiological traits of bitter vetch could be recommended.