Effect of Methyl Jasmonate on Morpho-Physiological and Biochemical Attributes of Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) under Salinity Stress

By : Rupanshee Srivastava, A. Hemantaranjan, Shivani Lalotra

Page No: 237-242

Abstract
Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) is one of the most important pulse crops of India and an important source of protein growing in semi-arid region. It has an extant to adapt to various stresses but it is yet susceptible to salinity stress. Salinity is one of the major abiotic stresses affecting crop production worldwide. It alters various physiological and biochemical attributes of crop plants. Phytohormones play an important role in combating stress. Methyl jasmonate (MeJA) and jasmonic acid (JA) are collectively referred to as jasmonates. This regulator has been evidently found to have alleviating effect on remarkable physiological traits in a number of crops under various abiotic stresses. Consequently, it was thought worthwhile to study the effect of methyl jasmonate on chickpea under salinity stress. This investigation was conducted using Avrodhi cultivar of chickpea in a pot culture experiment. Seeds were pre-soaked in MeJA @5.0?M and 10.0?M prior to sowing. Later, salinity was induced at preferred concentration of 100mM NaCl in the growing medium. Observations on different parameters were recorded at two intervals of 14 and 28 days after salt exposure. Morphophysiological traits studied include root length, fresh and dry weights of the plants root; biochemical parameters, viz., total soluble sugar, nitrate reductase activity and hydrogen peroxide. Data revealed negative influence of salinity on overall parameters studied. However, methyl jasmonate at the threshold level of 10?M MeJA was found to have alleviating effect of salinity significantly over 5?M MeJA. The positive impacts of methyl jasmonate in this investigation were registered.

Authors :
Rupanshee Srivastava : Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi- 211005.
A. Hemantaranjan and Shivani Lalotra : Department of Plant Physiology, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi- 211005.