The effects of feeding by silica on the decrease of stress caused by salinity in radish plant

Subject Areas : agronomy

Ebrahim Fani ¹ , Shokoofeh Hajihashemi ²

1 - Plant Biology Department, Faculty of Science, Behbahan Khatam Alanbia University of Technology, Khuzestan, Iran
2 - Plant Biology Department, Faculty of Science, Behbahan Khatam Alanbia University of Technology, Khuzestan, Iran

Received: 2023-12-05 Accepted : 2024-03-18 Published : 2024-12-12

Keywords: Chlorophyll meter number, Photochemical efficiency of photosystem 2, Photosynthetic index, Plant height,

Abstract :

The large extent of saline lands in the world, and the increasing demand for food, have necessitated the importance of using appropriate strategies to increase the tolerance of plants to salinity for their cultivation in saline lands. In order to investigate the effect of silica fertilizer on reducing the harmful effects of salinity treatment in radish plant, a pot experiment was designed in the form of a completely randomized design with three replications in Behbahan city in 2021. The treatments included salinity stress at two levels (zero and 200 mM sodium chloride) and silica fertilizer at two levels (zero and 2 g per liter). The results showed that salinity stress caused a significant decrease in photochemical efficiency of photosystem 2 (Fv/Fm), photosynthetic index (PI), and chlorophyll meter number (SPAD) as well as a decrease in root length and plant height. In contrast, silica fertilizer treatment caused a decrease in the harmful effects of salinity stress on them. Based on the correlation results between the traits, a positive and significant correlation was seen between the chlorophyll meter number trait (SPAD) and the photosynthetic index traits, and the photochemical efficiency of photosystem 2 (Fv/Fm). According to the results of the present study, the application of silica fertilizer under salinity stress conditions with a positive effect on the photochemical efficiency of photosystem 2 (Fv/Fm), photosynthetic index, and chlorophyll meter number (SPAD), decrease the harmful effects of salinity stress on radish plants.