Abstract
Biostimulants can be used as innovative and promising agents to address current needs of sustainable agriculture. Weeping willow tree (Salix babylonica) extracts are rich in many bioactive compounds, including, but not limited, to salicylates and phenolics. In this study, the potential of willow bark (WB) and willow leaf (WL) extracts is evaluated as plant-based biostimulants to improve the early growth of maize (Zea mays) under control and salinity stress conditions. In 3 days, seed treatment with salicylic acid and willow extract increased the shoot FW of maize seedlings 130% and 225%, respectively. The root area was, on average, enhanced by 43% with SA and 87% with willow extract applications. Moreover, these extracts increased the leaf protein concentration and reduced the negative effects of salinity during early growth. Reductions in lipid peroxidation and specific activities of antioxidative enzymes by seed treatments with willow extracts suggests a mitigation of salinity-induced oxidative stress. For most reported traits, WL applications were at least as effective as WB applications. Results indicate that aqueous extracts of weeping willow leaves, as well as bark, can be used as seed treatment agents with biostimulant activity to improve seedling growth and establishment under control and stress conditions.
Highlights
By 2050, food production must be approximately doubled in developing countries and increased by 70% globally to meet the demand of an increasing population [1]
Willow bark extracts are recommended for accelerating root formation due to the presence of Indole 3-butyric acid (IBA) in Salix bark extracts [50]
Extract, the salicin and saligenin concentrations measured in willow bark (WB) extract were almost two orders of magnitudes greater than those measured in willow leaf (WL) extract
Summary
By 2050, food production must be approximately doubled in developing countries and increased by 70% globally to meet the demand of an increasing population [1]. Botanical extracts include several important natural bioactive molecules, including natural phenolics [11] These bioactive substances can increase yield and fruit quality, enhance photosynthesis, carbohydrate levels, nodule development and improve secondary metabolite production [12,13,14]. These plant-based biostimulants can be applied to economically important plants by seed or soil treatments, as well as foliar applications both in the presence or absence of a stress condition. Salinity stress is one of the most common abiotic stresses that seriously damage agricultural production and endanger the sustainable food supply of the growing global human population [15,16]. The transformation of the areas affected by salinity into a productive land is a difficult, time consuming and expensive process [20]
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