Shortage on (Magnesium and Calcium) Dry Weight, Fresh Weight, Root and Shoot Length, Leaf Relative Water Content (RWC), Chlorophyll Content and Malondialdehyde Activity in Fenugreek (Trigonella Foenum Graceum)

Abstract

Fenugreek ( Trigonella Foenum Graceum ) is one of the medicinal plants that have been used as a folk medicine in Iran and many countries. In this study, effects of macronutrient element shortage (Nitrogen, Phosphorous, Potassium, Magnesium and Calcium) on dry and fresh weight, root and shoot length, Leaf Relative Water and chlorophyll content in Fenugreek plant was investigated. In relation to Magnesium shortage which caused, increase of root and shoot dry weight, root and shoot fresh weight, root and shoot length and leaf relative water content, it was observed that this increment was meaningful in 0/05 of statistical level. In Calcium shortage, root and shoot length, root and shoot dry weight and shoot fresh weight decreased, which in statistical level 0/05 showed meaningful difference than blank level, while in relation to leaf relative water content, there was no meaningful difference to the control level. In Potassium shortage, shoot length, root and shoot fresh weight and leaf relative water content meaningful increased, while root and shoot dry weight, observed decrement in statistical level of 0/05 which was meaningful than blank level. Investigating the effect of Phosphorous shortage, shoot length meaningfully increased than in blank level, while in root dry weight, shoot fresh weight and leaf relative water content, meaningful decrement was observed than in the blank level (P<0.05). In Nitrogen shortage, root length and fresh weight and leaf relative water content meaningfully increased than blank, while shoot fresh weight, root and shoot dry weight were meaningfully decreased in statistical levels of 0/05 than blank. Macronutrient elements shortage caused decrement of chlorophyll in Fenugreek leaves with Nitrogen, Potassium and Phosphorous recording shortage than the blank level. In plants with Calcium and magnesium shortage, increase of chlorophyll was observed. Macronutrient elements shortage caused meaningful decrease in chlorophyll b and total chlorophyll concentration in Fenugreek leaves (P<0.05). Also, macronutrient elements shortage caused decrease in Malondialdehyde activity in root and shoot of Fenugreek plant.