Effects of different levels of sodium nitroprusside and arsenic on fruit yield and some biochemical characteristics of bitter melon (Momordica charantia L.)

Subject Areas : Journal of Plant Ecophysiology

P. Yadollahi ¹ , M.R. Asgharipour ² , S. Sheikhpour ³ , B. Jabbari2 ⁴ , H. Ghasemi ⁵

1 - باشگاه پژوهشگران جوان و نخبگان، واحد شهرکرد، دانشگاه آزاد اسلامی، شهرکرد، ایران
2 - گروه زراعت و اصلاح نباتات، دانشگاه زابل، زابل، ایران
3 - گروه زراعت و اصلاح نباتات، دانشگاه زابل، زابل، ایران
4 - گروه زراعت و اصلاح نباتات، دانشگاه زابل، زابل، ایران
5 - گروه خاکشناسی، دانشگاه شهرکرد، شهرکرد، ایران

Received: 2015-09-26 Accepted : 2015-09-26 Published : 2015-09-01

Keywords: Heavy metals, medicinal plants, Photosynthetic pigments, Macro-nutrients,

Abstract :

Application of plant growth regulators as antioxidant has been proposed to reduce the negative impacts of different stress. Sodium nitroprusside is an antioxidant which makes plants resistant to biotic and abiotic stresses. In this research the effects of arsenic contamination and sodium nitroprusside foliar sprays was examined on the quantitative characteristics in bitter melonplants (Momordica charantia L.). The experimental design was as factorial on the basis of completely randomized block design with 3 replications in 2012 at the Zabol University greenhouse. Sodium nitroprusside in 3 levels; 0, 50 and 100 μM and arsenic contamination in four levels 0, 30, 60 and 90 mg kg-1. Resuts showed that arsenic application significantly reduced chlorophyll a, b ​​and total chlorophyll, chlorophyll fluorescence, relative water content of leaves,and fruit yield. Arsenic at 90 mg kg-1 reduced P and K in fruits by, 47.57 and 31.25 %, respectively. Protein concentration in fruits increased with increasing arsenic and the greatest protein was observed at the highest arsenic toxicity with 34.68%. Sodium nitroprusside had significant effect on all traits except phosphorus content in fruit and the maximum quantity of this trait was observed at spraying with 100 μM sodium nitroprusside. In general, spraying sodium nitroprusside could be recommended in arsenic contaminated area to reduce heavy metal toxicity.