Babak Jamali

Mineral composition of ‘Selva’ strawberry as affected by time of application of nitric oxide under saline conditions

The objective of present study was to evaluate the impact of time of application of nitric oxide (NO) on mineral composition of strawberry ‘Selva’ plants under saline conditions. Well-rooted daughter plants were planted in 3L plastic pots filled with 1:1 (v/v) ratio of peat moss and perlite and grown under the greenhouse conditions (21 ± 2/17 ± 2°C and RH = 60 ± 5% under natural sunlight). After full establishment of plants they were divided into 10 groups: control, plants sprayed with distilled water and exposed to 40 mM NaCl salinity stress, plants sprayed with 50 or 75 μM NO solutions under non-stress conditions, and plants sprayed with 50 or 75 μM NO solutions at three different application times, one week before, at the beginning, and one week after initiation of 40 mM NaCl salt stress. Results indicated that concentrations of macro-nutrients, Fe and Zn in shoots and roots were decreased due to salinity stress. The NO application, regardless of time of application and level, mitigated the deleterious effect of salinity on minerals uptake. Time aspect of NO application was important as plants received 75 μM NO solution, one week before initiation of salt stress had higher shoot N, K, and Ca concentration, productivity and leaf relative water content as compared with those received NO solution at the same concentration, one week after exposure to salt stress. Higher K/Na ratio of shoot was also observed in plants treated with 75 μM NO solution one week before start of salinity compared with salt-stressed, non-NO-treated plants. It seemed that time of NO application could change the strategy of plant against stress.

VEGETATIVE GROWTH, YIELD, FRUIT QUALITY AND FRUIT AND LEAF COMPOSITION OF STRAWBERRY CV. ‘PAJARO’ AS INFLUENCED BY SALICYLIC ACID AND NICKEL SPRAYS

Salicylic acid (SA) occurs naturally in plants at low concentrations. Previous studies reported a vast range of responses after SA application on plants. Nickel (Ni) as an essential element for plant growth and development has been proven to have positive impact on overall plant life cycle. To evaluate influence of these two compounds on strawberry plants cv. ‘Pajero’ this study was carried out as a 3 × 4 factorial in a completely randomized design in greenhouse conditions. Treatments included SA at 0, 1, 2, and 3 mM and nickel sulfate (NiSO4) at 0, 150 and 300 mg L−1 concentration. It seems that treatments had promoting effects on measured parameters as 2 mM of SA increased root and shoot fresh and dry weight, concentration of anthocyanins and poliphenolics of fruits significantly, 3 mM of this phytohormone caused augmentation of vitamin C content of fruits. Nitrogen and nickel concentration within leaves and fruits were affected after SA treatments. 150 mg L−1 of nickel solution promoted total yield, root dry weight and nitrogen concentration of fruits. Worth mentioning, beneficial effects of such treatments were higher when applied together. Further research is needed before recommendation on other cultivars and commercial use.

Salicylic Acid–Induced Salinity Redressal in Hydroponically Grown Strawberry

The present study was conducted to evaluate shoot and root mineral composition of salt-stressed Selva strawberry under application timing of salicylic acid (SA). Treatments included plants sprayed with 0.5 or 1 mM SA, plants exposed to 40 mM sodium chloride (NaCl), and plants sprayed with 0.5 or 1 mM SA 1 week before, simultaneously, or after initiation of 40 mM salinity. Results indicated that under saline conditions, sodium (Na) and chloride (Cl) contents increased along with decrease in nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), iron (Fe), and zinc (Zn) in shoot and root of plants. In plants treated with SA at 1 mM concentration, 1 week before salinity application, root Mg and shoot Ca were greater in comparison to salt-stressed plants treated with the same SA concentration 1 week after their exposure to salt stress. Thus, earlier SA application appears to be a better strategy for optimized protection against deleterious influence of salinity.

Antioxidant responses of ‘Selva’ strawberry as affected by salicylic acid under salt stress

BACKGROUND: Salicylic acid (SA) is a phenolic-endogenous plant hormone and its ameliorative effects against abiotic stresses have been well documented. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the influence of salinity and SA on enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants responses of ‘Selva’ strawberry plants with respect to the time of SA application. METHOD: Well-rooted daughter strawberry plants cv. Selva, were potted in 3 L plastic pots and after their establishment, were sprayed with 0.5 or 1.0 mM salicylic acid solutions one week before, during or one week after being exposed to 40 mM NaCl salinity. Experiments were carried out as bi-factorial in a completely randomized design. RESULTS: The activities of superoxide dismutase and glutathione reductase increased by both salinity and SA treatments. The highest antioxidant enzymes activity was observed in plants treated with SA one week before being exposed to salinity stress. These plants had both higher proline and glycine betaine contents and lower protein degradation. CONCLUSION: Before being exposed to salinity stress, treating strawberry plants with salicylic acid probably by improving their antioxidant systems will prepare them to cope better with the deleterious effects of salt stress.

Growth and Fruit Characteristics of Strawberry cv. Selva as Affected by Different Application Timing of Salicylic Acid under Saline Conditions

In order to evaluate the influence of salinity and application timing of salicylic acid (SA) on ‘Selva’ strawberry plants, the present study was carried out in a completely randomized design with four replications. After establishment of rooted daughter plants of Selva cultivar, they were sprayed using 0.5 or 1 mM SA solutions 1 week before, simultaneously, and 1 week after the start of an established 40-mM NaCl salinity stress. Results indicated that saline conditions disturbed normal plant growth and reduced fruit quality parameters and SA (at both concentrations) ameliorated deleterious effects of salinity. The time aspect of SA application was important as plants pretreated with SA solutions before or simultaneously with initiation of salinity had larger shoot and root dry weight; higher number of inflorescences; and quality parameters, such as total soluble solids (TSS), in comparison to salinity stress-exposed plants.

Response of strawberry "Selva" plants on foliar application of sodium nitroprusside (nitric oxide donor) under saline conditions

Abstract This study was conducted to evaluate enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidant response of ‘Selva’ strawberry plants on exogenous nitric oxide under saline conditions with respect to time of application. Sodium nitroprusside (SNP), as nitric oxide (NO) source, was applied on the leaves by spray before, simultaneously, or after the initiation of saline stress. Results indicated that salinity and/or SNP at concentrations of 50 and 75 μM caused increase in activity of antioxidant enzymes, such as catalase, superoxide dismutase, glutathione reductase, ascorbate peroxidase and peroxidases as well as leaf content of proline, glycine betaine and total phenolics in comparison to control. Time of NO application was important because the highest levels of catalase and ascorbic peroxidase were in plants pre-treated with SNP one week before the initiation of salinity stress. Plants from these combinations had the highest fruit yield among all saline stressed plants. So, it seems that earlier application of SNP is more effective for an optimised protection against deleterious influence of salinity stress, because pre-treated plants had a sufficient time to develop an appropriate antioxidant response. The application of SNP simultaneously or after exposure of plants to stress conditions, was also helpful in increasing plant tolerance but to a lesser extent.

Headspace Analysis of Aroma Composition and Quality Changes of Selva Strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa Duch.), Fruits as Influenced by Salinity Stress and Application Timing of Nitric Oxide

Abstract In order to evaluate the influence of salinity and time of application of nitric oxide (NO) on aroma composition and quality of Selva strawberry fruits, the present study was carried out. Treatments included: control, plants sprayed with 75 μM NO solution, plants exposed to 40 mM NaCl salinity stress and plants exposed to 40 mM NaCl and sprayed with 75 μM NO solution 1 week before, simultaneously and 1 week after start of salinity stress. Results of headspace analysis of the fruits aroma and quality parameters indicated that saline conditions modified aroma composition and some quality parameters as ethylbutanoate percentage in aroma was one fifth and ethtyl 2-methyl butanoate was one third of control samples. Salinity caused reduction of TSS and ascorbic acid concentration. Application of NO on plants grown under saline conditions lead to increment of aroma quality as ethyl isovalerate was detected only in aroma of these categories of plants, and concentration of vitamin C and total anthocyanins increased in plants treated with NO. Plants treated with NO at different times had various volatile compounds with different share. For example ocimenone was detected only in fruits treated with NO 1 week before start of salinity stress. Highest amount of total polyphenol compounds and anthocyanins were obtained from plants treated with NO 1 week before or simultaneously with start of salinity stress.

Effects of Foliar and Soil Applied Iron, Manganese and Zinc Fertilizers on Fruit Quality of (Zard) Olives = تأثير إضافة أسمدة الحديد والمنغنيز والزنك ورقيا وفي التربة على جودة ثمار الزيتون صنف (زارد)

The investigation was carried out to evaluate the effects of Fe, Zn and Mn micronutrients application with different methods; foliar or soil application, on quality parameters of ‘Zard’ olive in Fars province in the south of Iran.Chelated iron sequestrene 138, zinc and manganese sulfates were soil applied once a year and iron, zinc and manganese sulfates were foliar applied on plants three times a year alone or in combination. Results indicated that fertilizer application method did not have significant impact on tree productivity and fruit quality parameters in bearing or non-bearing years and alternate bearing in ‘Zard’ olive trees was not correlated significantly with Fe, Zn and Mn deficiency. However, a positive correlation between leaf Fe concentration and fruit weight and length was found. It could be recommended that foliar application of micronutrients fertilizers in regions with alkaline soils is a better strategy for improvement of olive production.

Physiological and Antioxidant Enzymes Responses of Two Fig Cultivars under Drought Stress = الاستجابات الفسيولوجية و استجابة أنزيمات مضادات الأكسدة لإثنين من أصناف التين تحت ظروف إجهاد الجفاف

In order to evaluate the influence of drought stress on two fig cultivars (‘Siah’ and ‘Sabz’), uniform rooted cuttings of both cultivars were potted in 7 L pots filled with soil mixture. The treatments consisted of 4 drought intervals of 4, 8, 12 and 16 days were applied to attain osmotic potentials of -0.6, -1.15, -1.5 and -1.75 bars, respectively. The results showed, in both cultivars, relative water content (RWC), leaf chlorophyll, protein and starch concentrations decreased with increasing the drought stress. In contrast, total soluble solid (TSS) and proline contents, and also the antioxidant enzyme activities increased. However, ‘Siah’ showed better leaf recovery and higher activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) enzymes and proline content than ‘Sabz’, indicating ‘Siah’ was a more drought tolerant in comparison with ‘Sabz’.

Application timing of nitric oxide ameliorates on deleterious effects of salinity on growth and fruit quality of strawberry cv. ‘Selva’

BACKGROUND: The exogenous application of nitric oxide (NO) has proved to protect plant against deleterious impact of salinity. OBJECTIVE: The probable influence of application timing has been neglected in most studies. In order to evaluate the influence of application timing of NO on ‘Selva’ strawberry plants the following experiments were carried out. METHOD: After establishment of ‘Selva’ daughter plants they were sprayed using 50 or 75 μM NO solution (Sodium nitroprusside was used as NO donor), one week before, simultaneously and one week after start of an established 40 mM NaCl salinity stress. RESULTS: Indicated that saline conditions had adverse influence on plants and that NO at both concentrations ameliorated these salinity effects as plants treated with 50 or 75 μM of NO had larger shoot and root dry weight, higher number of inflorescences and quality parameters such as TSS in comparison to salinity stress exposed plants. Time of application was important, and plants treated with NO one week before beginning of salinity stress had highest ameliorative effect. CONCLUSION: It seems that application of NO prior the stress increases the stress avoidance strategy of plants.