Effects of Foliar Spraying with Salicylic acid and Putrescine on Growth Characteristics and Yield of Summer Savory (Satureja hortensis L.)

Document Type : Research Article

Authors

• A Faraji-mehmany ¹
• B Esmaielpour ¹
• F Sefidkon ²
• S Khorramdel ³

¹ University of Mohaghegh Ardabili

² Research Institute of Forests and Rangelands, Tehran

³ Ferdowsi Mashhad University

10.22067/gsc.v14i1.33631

Abstract

Introduction
Summer Savory (Satureja hortensis L.) is an annual, herbaceous plant belonging to the Labiatae family. This plant is most often used as a culinary herb, but it also has marked medicinal benefits, especially upon the whole digestive system. The most important components of S. hortensis include volatile oils, phenolic compounds, flavonoids and phenolic acids, tannins, mucus, resins, carotenoids and mineral components. Plant growth regulators are used to improve the quality and quantity of medicinal plant production. Salicylic Acid is one of this PGRs that involved in seed germination, photosynthesis, Stomatal opening and closure, Membrane Permeability, Ions Absorption and transmission and other growth processes. Polyamines are ubiquitous low-molecular-weight aliphatic amines that are involved in regulating plant growth processes. The most commonly found polyamines in higher plants, putrescine (Put), spermidine (Spd) and spermine (Spm) may be present in free, soluble conjugated and insoluble bound forms. It has been demonstrated that PAs are important for the normal course of diverse plant ontogeny processes such as cell division and elongation, organogenesis and somatic and zygotic embryogenesis.
Materials and Methods
This experiment was conducted in factorial based on a randomized complete block design with three replications in Karaj, Iran. Foliar spraying with SA (1, 2 and 3 mM.l) and Putrecine (50, 100, 150 and 200
mg l-1) was performed in thrice in Savory growth period. Spraying was performed at 21, 35 (Budding Phase) and 56 (flowering initiation phase) day after seed germination. In flowering stage, some morphological traits such as plant height, weight, yield, canopy diameter, stem diameter, leaf area, essential oil content and efficiency were measured.
Results and Discussion
Analysis of variance showed that the effects of salicylic acid and putrescine spraying on plant height, canopy diameter, stem diameter, number of axillary stems, foliage dry weight, foliage yield, flower dry weight, number of leaves, leaf dry weight, leaf yield, leaf area index (LAI), number of inflorescence, dry weight of inflorescence, total chlorophyll content, chlorophyll a and b content, essential oil content, yield and efficiency was significant (P< 0.01). Application of 100 mg.l putrescine resulted in maximum plant height (45.67 cm) that showed a significant difference with control and 1 mM.l SA treatments. Highest number of inflorescence per plant obtained in pots spraying with 150 and 200 mg.l putrescine and 3 mM l-1 SA. It seems that spraying with putrescine improved vegetative growth through production enhancement of biosynthetic enzymes. Putrescine increased the cell division in plant tissues due to the presence of nitrogen in its structure. Treatment with putrescine significantly improved plant height in Matthiola incana. In response to spraying with 3 mM.l SA amounts of stem diameter, number of leaves per plant, dry weight and yield of leaves and number of inflorescences were significantly increased in comparison with other treatments. Highest values of axillary stems, dry weight of aerial parts, weight of flowering stems, leaf area index and inflorescence yield were also observed in 3 mM l-1 treatments but it did not show significant deference with any of the other treatments. It was well documented that salicylic acid exert their influence on physiological and biochemical processes, including, photosynthesis, ion uptake, membrane permeability, enzyme activities, flowering, heat production and growth and development of plants. SA can increase growth parameters in Summer Savory by enhancing photosynthetic rate and nitrate metabolism. SA increased the activity of nitrate reductase both in leaves and roots of maize plants. Maximum total chlorophyll content was obtained in plants, spraying with 1 and 3 mM l-1 SA that was significant. Application of 1 and 3 mM l-1 SA resulted in higher amounts of chlorophyll a and b, respectively. Moreover, all putrescine concentrations eventuated to significant increase in chlorophyll contents compared to control treatments. Talaat (33) reported that foliar application of putrescine increased chlorophyll and carotenoids content, soluble and non-soluble sugar, proteins and alkaloids in sweet pepper. Based on Figure 2, it was clear that the yield of aerial parts and flowering stems gradually increased with addition of SA concentration and reached its maximum at the 3 mM l-1 treatment. However the significant difference between putrescine concentrations was not observed.
Conclusions
This study revealed that foliar application of SA and putrescine significantly affected the morphological, physiological and biochemical traits of Satureja hortensis. Thus, it can be used as a plant growth regulator for yield and essential oil content improvement in field production of this plant.

Keywords

• Essential oil
• Medicinal plants
• Natural products
• Plant growth regulator

20.1001.1.20081472.1395.14.1.6.3

---

References

1. Abd El-Wahed, M. S. A., and Gamal El-Din, K. M. 2004. Stimulation of growth, flowering, biochemical constituents and essential oil of chamomile plant (Chamomilla recutita L., Rausch) with Spermidine and stigmasterol application. Bulgarian Journal of Plant Physiology 30: 89-102.

2. Abdel Aziz, N. G., Taha, L. S., and Ibahim Soad, M. M. 2009. Some studies on the effect of Putrescine, ascorbic acid and thiamine on growth, flowering and some chemical constituents of gladiolus plants at Nubaria. Ozean Journal of Applied Sciences 2 (2): 169-179.

3. Alam, S. M. 1994. Nutrient Uptake by Plant under Stress Condition. In: Pessarakali, M. (ed.) Handbook of Plant Stress. Dekker, New York, p. 227-246.

4. Amin, A. A., Gharib, F. A. E., El-Awadi, M., and Rashad, M. E. M. 2011. Physiological response of onion plants to foliar application of Putrescine and glutamine. Scientia Horticulturae 129: 353-360.

5. Azarnivand, H., Ghavam Arbani, M., Sefidkon, F., and Tavili, A. 2010. The effect of ecological characteristics on quality and quantity of the essential oils of Achillea millefolium L. subsp. Millefolium. Iranian Journal of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants 25 (4): 556-571. (in Persian with English abstract).

6. Barkosky, R. R., and Einhellig, F. A. 1993. Effects of Salicylic acid on plant water relationship. Journal of Chemical Ecology 19: 237-247.

7. Cohen, E., Arad, S., Heimer, Y. M., and Mizrahi, Y. 1982. Participation of ornithine decarboxylase in early stages of tomato fruit development. Plant Physiology 70: 540-543.

8. Cutt, J. R., and Klessig, D. F. 1992. Salicylic acid in plants. A changing perspective. Pharmaceutical Technology 16: 25-34.

9. Datta, M., Palit, R., Sengupta, C., Pandit, M. K., and Banerjee, S. 2011. Plant growth promoting rhizobacteria enhance growth and yield of chilli (Capsicum annuum L.) under field conditions Plant growth promoting rhizobacteria. Australian Journal of Crop Science 5 (5): 531-536.

10. El-Tohamy, W. A., El-Abagy, H. M., and El-Greadly, N. H. M. T. 2008. Studies on the effect of Putrescine, yeast and vitamin c on growth, yield and physiological responses of eggplant (Solanum melongena L.) under sandy soil conditions. Australian Journal of Basic and Applied Sciences 2 (2): 296-300.

11. Gardner, F. P., Pearce, R. B., and Mitchell, R. L. 1985. The Physiology of Crop Plants. Iowa State University Press, Science 327 pp.

12. Gharib, A. A., and Hanafy Ahmed, A. H. 2005. Response of pea plants (Pisum sativum L.) to foliar application of Putrescine, glucose, foliar feed and silicon. The Journal of Agricultural Science, Mansoura University 30 (12): 7563-7579.

13. Giri, B., and Mukerji, G. K. 2004. Mycorrhiza inoculate alleviates salt stress in Sesbania aegyptica and Sesbania grandiflora under field conditions: evidence for reduced sodium and improved magnesium uptake. Mycorrhiza 14: 307-312.

14. Giri, B., Kapoor, R., and Mukerji, K. G. 2002. VA mycorrhizal techniques.VAM technology in establishment of plants under salinity stress condition. In: Mukerji, K.G., Manoracheir, C. and Singh, J. (eds.) Techniques in mycorrhizal stueies Kluwer, Dordrecht, pp. 313-327.

15. Gutierrez-Coronado, M. A., Trejo-Lopez, C., and Larque-Saavedea, A. 1998. Effects of Salicylic acid on the growth of roots and shoots in soybean. Plant Physiology and Biochemistry 36: 563-565.

16. Harper, J. P., and Balke, N. E. 1981. Characterization of the inhibition of K+ absorption in oat roots by salicylic acid. Plant Physiology 68: 1349-1353.

17. Khan, W., Prithiviraj, B., and Smith, D. 2003. Photosynthetic responses of corn and soybean to foliar application of salicylates. Journal of Plant Physiology 6: 1-8.

18. Larque-Saaveda, A. 1979. Stomatal closure in response to Salicylic acid treatment. Plant Physiology 93: 371-375.

19. Liu, J. H., Honda, C., and Moriguchi, T. 2006. Involvement of polyamine in floral and fruit development. JARQ 40: 51-58.

20. Madah, S. M., Falahian, F., Sabagh Pour, S. H. and Chalabian, F. 2007. Effect of Salicylic acid on yield and anatomical structure in Cicer arietinum L., Journal of Basic Science 62 (1): 61-70. (in Persian with English abstract).

21. Mahgoub, M. H., Abd-El Aziz, N. G., and Mazhar, A. M. A. 2011. Response of Dahlia pinnata L. plant to foliar spray with Putrescine and thimine on growth, flowering and photosynthetic. American-Eurasian Journal of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences 10 (5): 769-775.

22. Pedraza, R. O., Motok, J., Tortora, M. L., Salazar, S. M., and Diaz-Ricci, J. C. 2007. Natural occurrence of Azospirillum brasilense in strawberry plants. Plant and Soil 295: 169-78.

23. Porra, R. J., Thompson, W. A., and Kriedemann, P. E. 1989. Determination of accurate extinction coefficients and simultaneous equations for assaying chlorophylls a and b extracted with four different solvents: verification of the concentration of chlorophyll standard by atomic absorption spectrometry. Photosynthesis Research 975: 384-394.

24. Rahimzadeh, S., Sohrabi, Y., Heidari, G., and Pirzad, A. 2008. Effect of Biofertilizers Application on some Morphological Characteristics and Yield of Dragonhead (Dracocephalum moldavica L.). Journal of Horticulture Science 25 (3): 335-343. (in Persian with English abstract).

25. Rowland, A. J., Borland, A. M., and Lea, P. J. 1988. Changes in amino acids, amines and proteins in response to air pollutants. In: Schulte-Hostede, S., Darrall, N.M., Blank, L.W. and Wellburn A.R. (eds.). Air pollution and plant metabolism, pp. 189-221– Elsevier Applied Science, London and New York.

26. Senaratna, T., Touchell, D., Bunn, E., and Dixon, K. 2000. Acetyl Salicylic acid (Aspirin) and Salicylic acid induce multiple stress tolerance in bean and tomato plants. Plant Growth Regulation 30: 157-161.

27. Serafini-Fracassini, D. 1991. Cell Cycle-Dependent Changes in Plant Polyamine Metabolism. I: Slocum R.D., Flores, H.E. (eds.). Biochemistry and Physiology of Polyamines in Plants. CRC Press, Boca Raton, F.L. pp. 159-171.

28. Shekari, F., Pakmehr, A., Rastgoo, M., Vazayefi, M., and Ghoreyshi Nasab, M. J. 2011. Effect of seed priming with Salicylic Acid on some of physiological traits in Vigna unguiculata L. under drought stress. Journal of Agriculture Science 4 (13): 13-29. (in Persian with English abstract).

29. Singh, P. K., Chaturvedi, V. K., and Bose, B. 2010. Effects of Salicylic acid on seedling growth and nitrogen metabolism in cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.). Journal of Stress Physiology and Biochemistry 6 (3): 102-113.

30. Slocum, R. D., and Galston, A. W. 1985. Changes in polyamines associated with post fertilization and development in tobacco ovary tissues. Plant Physiology 79: 336-343.

31. Smith, T. A. 1982. The Function and Metabolism of Polyamines in Higher Plants. In: Wareing, P.F. (ed). Plant Growth Substances. Academic Press, New York, pp. 683.

32. Talaat, I. M. 2005. Physiological effect of Salicylic acid and tryptophan on Pelargonium graveolens. Egyptian Journal of Applied Sciences 20: 751-760.

33. Talaat, I. M., and Laila, K. 2010. Physiological response of sweet basil plants (Ocimum basilicum L.) to Putrescine and Trans-Cinnamic Acid. American-Eurasian Journal of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences 8 (4): 438-445.

34. Talaat, I. M., Bekheta, M. A., and Mahgoub, M. M. H. 2005. Physiological response of Periwinkle plants (Cataranthus roseus L.) to tryptophan and Putrescine. International Journal of Agriculture and Biology 7 (2): 210-213.

35. Talaat, N. B. 2003. Physiological studies on the effect of salinity, ascorbic acid and Putrescine on sweet pepper plant. PhD Thesis, Agric, Bot. Dept., Fac. Agric., Cairo Univ., p. 286.

36. Tang, W., and Newton, R. J. 2004. Increase of polyphenol oxidase and decrease of polyamines correlate with tissue browning in Virginia pine (Pinus virginiana Mill.). Plant Science 67: 621-628.

37. Yazdanpanah, S., Baghizadeh, A., and Abbassi, F. 2011. The interaction between drought stress and salicylic and ascorbic acids on some biochemical characteristics of Satureja hortensis. African Journal of Agricultural Research 6 (4): 798-807.

38. Youssef, A. A., Mona, H. M., and Iman, M. T. 2004. Physiological and biochemical aspects of Matthiola incana L. plants under the effect of Putrescine and kinetin treatments. Egyptian Journal of Basic and Applied Sciences 19 (9B): 492-510.