Saffron Agronomy and Technology

Saffron Agronomy and Technology

Effect of iron and zinc elements on the growth, biochemical and physiological traits of cultivated saffron (Crocus sativus L.) under drought stress in hydroponic cultivation conditions

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors
Fahime Habibi 1
Vahid Niknam 2
Golandam Sharifi 3
1 Master of science in plant physiology, Teacher
2 Professor, college of biology, University of Tehran
3 Master of plant physiology, college of Biology, University of Tehran
10.22048/jsat.2024.437868.1523
Abstract
Drought stress is one of the most important abiotic stresses that reduces crop production more than any other stress. Micronutrients such as iron and zinc can improve drought stress tolerance in saffron. For this purpose, the present study was conducted in the growth chamber of the College of Science, University of Tehran, in order to investigate the effect of iron and zinc on vegetative characteristics and resistance traits of saffron plant under water stress conditions as a factorial based on a completely randomized design. In this experiment, iron and zinc were investigated at three levels of half concentration of Hoagland, full concentration and twice the concentration of Hoagland solution and at four levels of dryness of 0, 5, 10 and 15% polyethylene glycol 6000 (PEG). The results showed that drought stress reduced fresh and dry root weight (1.36 g and 0.12 g in PEG 15%), root length (2.67 cm in PEG 15%), leaf and root protein content (0.05 and 0.04 mg/g FW in PEG 15%) and oxidizing enzymes (such as root peroxidase (1.04 IU/g protein in PEG10% and in PEG15% (1.09 IU/mg protein), leaf polyphenol oxidase (in PEG5% (0.14, 0.15 IU/mg protein in PEG10% and 0.14 IU/mg protein in PEG15%), leaf catalase (0.63 in PEG5%, 0.59 IU/mg protein in PEG10% and 0.34 IU/mg protein in PEG15%) and root catalase (0.25 IU/mg proein in PEG10% and 0.18 IU/mg protein in PEG15%). The use of iron and zinc in full concentrations and twice the concentration of Hoagland solution improved some qualitative and biochemical properties such as total chlorophyll (full concentration of zinc in PEG15% as much as 4.48 mg/g FW), chlorophyll a (twice the concentration of zinc in PEG5% as much as 2.96 mg/g FW), chlorophyll b (zinc at full concentration in PEG15% as much as 5.04 mg/g w/w) Wet), carotenoids (zinc twice the concentration in PEG10% by 0.73 μg/mg protein), leaf flavonoids (iron twice the concentration of PEG5% by 0.18 μg/g FW), zinc root flavonoid twice the concentration in PEG0 by 0.15 μg/g FW), leaf flavonoids (iron twice the concentration in PEG15% by 0.05 μg/g FW) and flavonols (Leaf flavonols (twice the concentration of iron in PEG15% by 0.05 μg/g FW) and root flavonols (twice the concentration of iron in PEG5% by 0.21 μg/g FW). Finally, treatment with iron and zinc improved the status of some of the measured parameters under drought stress conditions. The use of these concentrations of iron and zinc is recommended to reduce the negative effects of drought in saffron.
Keywords
saffron
drought stress
iron and zinc
induction of resistance
endogenous and non-exogenous antioxidants

Subjects

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