Effect of Pinching and Thidiazuron on Morphophysiological and Biochemical Properties of Pelargonium graveolens Under Water Deficit Stress

Document Type : Full Paper

Authors

1 Department of Horticultural Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, Lorestan University, Khorramabad, Iran

2 Department of Horticultural Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, Shahrekord University, Chaharmahal Bakhtiari, Shahrekord, Iran

3 Department of Horticultural Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Lorestan University, Khorramabad, Iran

Abstract

In order to investigate the effect of pinching and foliar spraying of thidiazuron on improving the tolerance to water-deficit stress in Pelargonium graveolens plants, a factorial experiment was conducted in the form of a completely randomized design with four replications in the research greenhouses of the Faculty of Agriculture of Lorestan University in 2022. The first factor was water deficit stress (80 (control), 50 and 20% available water in the soil (AWC)), the second factor was pinching and non-pinching, and the third one included thidiazoron foliar spraying (zero, 5 and 10 mg/liter). The results showed that water deficit stress had a decrease effect on the indices of plant height, number of lateral branches, total fresh and dry weight, relative water content and essential oil percentage, whereas it had an increase impact on electrolyte leakage, malondialdehyde content and catalase enzyme activity. Pinching of plants and foliar application of thidiazuron in the control level decreased the plant height, number of leaves and the relative water content of the leaves, but increased total fresh and dry weight, root growth, concentration of photosynthetic pigments and electrolyte leakage. However, under the water deficit stress, plant height, number of lateral branches, number of leaves, root growth, total fresh and dry weight, relative leaf water content and essential oil yield increased and electrolyte leakage, malondialdehyde content and catalase enzyme activity decreased. In general, the results showed that the application of pinching and thidiazoron, particularly at a concentration of 5 mg/liter, resulted in a reduction of the adverse effects of water deficit stress by improving the water balance and promoting root growth.

Keywords

Main Subjects


Extended Abstract

Introduction

The growth and development of plants in arid and semi-arid areas is limited by lack of water, resulting in changes in their physiological and biochemical characteristics, such as an imbalance in hormonal levels that can cause a decrease in plant growth. Therefore, the utilization of plant growth regulators can be an effective factor in improving tolerance to abiotic stresses. On the other hand, in plants with a strong dominance of terminal bud, application of plant growth regulators causes the promotion of branching and enhancement of plant yield. Thidiazuron affects many aspects of the plant, including shoot formation and multiplication.  It is also resistant to internal cytokinin oxidases, which makes it stable in the plant. Aromatic geranium is a slow-growing, perennial plant that is used as an ornamental and medicinal plant. The present study aims to investigate the effect of thidiazuron foliar application and pinching in reducing the adverse effects of water deficit stress on some morphophysiological and biochemical characteristics of aromatic geranium in greenhouse conditions.

 

Materials and methods

The factorial experiment was conducted in the form of a completely randomized design with three factors and four replications in the research greenhouses of Lorestan Agricultural College in spring and summer of 2022. The first factor was water deficit stress at three levels of 80, 50 and 20% of available water content in the soil, the second factor was pinching at two levels including without pinching and with pinching and the third factor was thidiazuron foliar spraying at three levels of zero (control), 5 and 10 mg/l. Stem cuttings of aromatic geranium were induced to rooting by application of an auxin rooting hormone. Then transplanted to the substrate containing sand, field soil and manure 1:1:1. After the establishment of cuttings, the water deficit stress was calculated with the help of pressure plate device and gravimetrically method. Pinching was performed by hand in the morning. Thidiazuron treatment was also carried out by spraying on plants. Three months after the application of water deficit stress, the morphophysiological and biochemical characteristics in addition to percentage and yield of the essential oil were measured.

 

Results and discussion

The results showed that the stress of water deficit decreased the height of the plant, the number of lateral stems, the total fresh and dry weight, the relative water content of leaf and the percentage of essential oil, but it increased electrolyte leakage, malondialdehyde content and catalase enzyme activity. Pinching and foliar spraying of thidiazoron on plants at the level of 80% of available water led to a decrease in height, number of leaves and relative water content of leaves. Although the total fresh and dry weight, root growth, concentration of photosynthetic pigments and electrolyte leakage increased under the condition of water deficit stress, but plant height, number of lateral branches, number of leaves, root growth, total fresh and dry weight, concentration of photosynthetic pigments, relative content of leaf water and essential oil yield increased and electrolyte leakage rate, malondialdehyde content and catalase enzyme activity decreased. Among the examined concentrations of thidiazuron, the concentration of 5 mg/liter showed a better effect on the growth and development of plants. Drought-resistant plants can show resistance to water deficit conditions through morphological and physiological adaptations and molecular signals. In fact, the decrease in plant height can be due to the decrease in turgor pressure and as a result, the decrease in cell division and enlargement in drought stress conditions. The effect of thidiazoron and the action of pinching can increase cell division, chlorophyll accumulation, biosynthesis of photosynthetic pigments (conversion of etioplast to chloroplast) and delay the aging of plant leaves by reducing terminal dominance and stimulating cytokinin production. Also, through the positive effect on cell division, it increases the potential of the physiological reservoir and thereby increases the photosynthetic capacity and plant growth. By increasing the irrigation intervales, the essential oil content enhanced, while the yield of oil declined, which can be related to the reduction of vegetative growth as a result of water deficit stress Thidiazuron as a growth stimulant can affect secondary metabolites depending on the time and the concentration used.

 

Conclusion

The results of the present experiment showed that pinching and the foliar application of thidiazuron can increase the resistance of the Pelargonium graveolens water deficit stress by improving root growth and inhibiting terminal dominance. However, more research is needed in order to use thidiazuron for decapitation in other plants. 

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