Positive responses of strawberry (Fragaria\u2009\xd7\u2009ananassa Duch.) explants to salicylic and iron nanoparticle application under salinity conditions

Ali Akbar Mozafari,Nasser Ghaderi,Sajede Dedejani

doi:10.1007/s11240-018-1420-y

Ali Akbar Mozafari, Nasser Ghaderi + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1007/s11240-018-1420-y

Copy DOI

Abstract

Key messageSalicylic acid and iron nanoparticles application improved morphological and growth-related characteristics of the strawberry plantlets′ under in vitro culture and Positive responses to salinity stress.Strawberry explants cv. Queen Elisa were cultured under in vitro conditions to monitor the application of salicylic acid (SA) and iron nanoparticles (INs) in response to salinity. Three levels of salinity (0, 50, and 100 mM NaCl), three levels of iron nanoparticles (0.0, 0.08, and 0.8 ppm), and three SA concentrations (0.0, 0.01, 0.05 mM) were applied. Salinity showed negative effects on growth parameters, pigment content, relative water content (RWC) and membrane stability index (MSI), and disturbed the ionic exchange in mature plants. The application of SA showed a positive and compensating effect that somewhat reversed the effects of salinity. INs, as a readily available alternative to iron sulphate, have also shown positive impacts on strawberry plants under salinity conditions. The application of both SA and INs improved all growth-related parameters and increased the pigment content, RWC, MSI, and iron and potassium contents of the mature plants, and decreased the content of sodium under salinity conditions. The highest concentration of INs (0.8 ppm) showed the highest positive effect for almost all measured parameters. While no statistical difference was detectable between high (0.05 mM) and medium (0.01 mM) levels of SA under salinity conditions, under non-stress conditions the difference was significant for growth-related parameters. Hence, if the aim is to produce strawberry explants or transplants using tissue culture, the application of higher SA levels is appropriate; but for decreasing the negative effects of salinity, medium levels of SA seem to be effective.

Highlights

Salinity, or salt stress, is one of the most detrimental abiotic stresses, disturbing the absorption of nutritional elements, and causing decreased water uptake and indirect drought stress (Bashir et al 2016)
The highest mean values for shoot fresh and dry weight, and number of branches were obtained with the application of iron nanoparticles (INs) and salicylic acid (SA) under no salinity stress (Table 1)
The lowest mean values for these traits were obtained with the highest salinity stress conditions and no use of either SA or INs

Summary

Introduction

Salt stress, is one of the most detrimental abiotic stresses, disturbing the absorption of nutritional elements, and causing decreased water uptake and indirect drought stress (Bashir et al 2016). A number of studies have considered the effects of salinity on nutritional elements such as NaCl in in vitro conditions; these studies have highlighted the negative influence of salinity on phyisological and growth-related traits in strawberry (Quiroz et al 2017). Large amounts of saline cultivation areas in Iran and the demonstrated negative impacts of salinity on both the quantity and quality of strawberry plants and fruit have led researchers to monitor different methods and techniques to improve the tolerance of strawberry to salinity conditions. The proper content and concentration of this phytohormone to achieve the best response in strawberry and how to manage the improvement of tolerance to salinity stress have remained unexplored

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion