Impact of salicylic acid on antioxidants, biomass and osmotic adjustments in Vigna unguiculata L. walp. during water deficit stress
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Date
2013
Authors
Umebese, C. E.
Bankole, A. E.
Umebese, C. E.
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Academic Journals
Abstract
Ameliorative impact of salicylic acid (SA) on Vigna unguiculata L. (cowpea) cultivar IT93k-452-1 during
water deficit stress was investigated. Plants were subjected to water deficit stress (WD) for 7 days at
either the vegetative stage (DVS) or the reproductive stage (DRS) and the leaf water potentials (ψw) of -
1.9 MPa and -2.01 MPa were obtained, respectively. Stress caused reductions in almost all parameters
studied. 3 and 5 mM SA foliar treatment caused increases of 27% in leaf ψw, 94% in chlorophyll content,
75% in plant biomass, 7% in nitrate reductase activity and 38% in proline content in DVS plants while
the impact was much lower in DRS plants. Stress stimulated almost 3-fold increase in antioxidant
vitamin B12 in DVS plants and 40% increase in vitamin C in DRS plants and SA (3 mM) further increased
the latter by 14%. Overall, SA had a protective influence on the water potential and growth of stressed
plants accompanied by an increase in production of osmolyte proline and antioxidant vitamin C.
Description
Keywords
Antioxidants , growth , Salicylic acid , water stress
Citation
ebese, C. E. and A.E. Bankole. 2013. Impact of Salicylic Acid on Antioxidants, Biomass and Osmotic Adjustments in Vigna unguiculata L. Walp., during Water Deficit. African Journal of Biotechnology 12 (33): 5200-5207.