Alireza Khaleghi; Rohangiz Naderi; Alireza Salami; Mesbah Babalar; Iman Roohollahi; Gholamreza Khaleghi
Abstract
Drought is one of the most important environmental factors which limit the growth of woody plants. Iran is located in arid and semi-arid area therefore the growth and cultivation of ornamental trees and shrubs were limited. For this purpose, effect of foliar-applied salicylic acid and/or spermidine (0, ...
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Drought is one of the most important environmental factors which limit the growth of woody plants. Iran is located in arid and semi-arid area therefore the growth and cultivation of ornamental trees and shrubs were limited. For this purpose, effect of foliar-applied salicylic acid and/or spermidine (0, 100, 500 and 1000 µmol) on reduce drought stress injuries of one-year seedlings ofOsage orange (Maclura pomifera) was examinedat the Horticultural Research Station, University of Tehran, in 2013.This study was conducted as a factorial based on completely randomized design with three replications. First, PGRs were foliar-applied for two consecutive days in during the early morning and the late afternoon and then plants were droughted by withholding water for 10 days. The damaging effects of drought on membrane leakage were reversed by low concentrations of salicylic acid and/or spermidine. Also, salicylic acid and spermidin at a concentration of 100 µmol stimulated catalase and superoxide dismutase activity, enhanced proline and chlorophyll content and maintained photochemical efficiency of chlorophyllunder drought stress. But Spermidine and salicylic acid at high concentrations were ineffective and/or inhibitors. Finally, our results showed that 100 µmol salicylic acid and/or spermidine maybe the best concentration for increasing of drought tolerance in young seedling, especially during transplanting and planting in permanent location.