Exogenous Application of Gibberellic Acid Counteracts the Ill Effect of Sodium Chloride in Mustard

Authors: SHAHEENA AFROZ, FIROZ MOHAMMAD, SHAMSUL HAYAT, MANZER H. SIDDIQUI

Abstract: The response of mustard (Brassica juncea (L.) Czern & Coss cv. Varuna) to presowing seed treatment with sodium chloride (NaCl) was investigated. The plants raised from treated seeds were sprayed with water or 10^{-6} M GA_3 at the 30- day stage. The seeds imbibed in 1 or 10 mM of NaCl resulted in a decrease in dry mass, leaf chlorophyll content, carbonic anhydrase activity (E.C. 4.2.1.1), nitrate reductase activity (E.C. 1.6.6.1) and net photosynthetic rate at the 60-day stage, and pod number and seed yield at harvest. However, spray application of GA_3 neutralized the ill effect of soaking treatment in NaCl (1 or 10 mM).

Keywords: Brassica juncea, carbonic anhydrase, chlorophyll, nitrate reductase, salinity, seed yield Abbreviations: CA-carbonic anhydrase; DAS-days after sowing; DH- dry mass; NR-nitrate reductase; PN-net photosynthetic rate

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