Physiological and phytochemical responses of Rosa damascena Mill. to the foliar application of different elicitors

Abstract

The effects of foliar spraying of different elicitors on some physiological and phytochemical traits like the quality volatile oil of Rosa damascena Mill. at the field conditions in Southwestern Iran were investigated. The experimental treatments were the foliar applications of acetone, ethanol, and methanol (10% and 20% v/v), salicylic acid (1.5 and 3.0 mM), phenylalanine (1.0 and 2.0 g/L), and chitosan (0.25 and 0.50 g/L). Results indicated that the experimental treatments significantly influenced the flower petals yield and the amounts of pigments and the main compounds in the volatile oil. The highest values of the flower petals yield and chlorophyll content were obtained from the plants under the foliar application of 3 mM salicylic acid followed chitosan at 0.25 g/L. The effect of organic elicitors, especially, phenyl alanine on the total phenol, flavonoids, and anthocyanin contents were higher than the alcoholic ones. The highest volatile oil content (0.056% v/w) was obtained from the treated plants by 0.25 g/L chitosan. The foliar application of phenyl alanine, chitosan, and salicylic acid significantly improved the monoterpene alcohols compounds in the volatile oil. The amount of these compounds in treated plants by the organic elicitors 58.32% was higher than the alcoholic elicitors. In conclusion, the foliar spraying of some elicitors such as chitosan, salicylic acid, and phenyl alanine can be a good strategy to improve the flower petals yield, antioxidant capacity, and the quantity and quality of volatile oil from R. damascene in semiarid climate.