Foliar Application of Ulva rigida Water Extracts Improves Salinity Tolerance in Wheat (Triticum durum L.)

Abstract

This study investigated the effect of seaweed extract (SWE) sprays obtained from Ulva rigida on wheat plants (Triticum durum L., variety Karim) grown under salt stress conditions for six weeks. Three levels of NaCl (0, 34.22, 68.44 mM) and four different concentrations (0, 12.5, 25 and 50%) of Ulva rigida as a water extract were applied. The obtained results indicated that seaweed treated plants showed higher ability to tolerate salt stress (34.22 or 68.44 mM of NaCl) by a significant (p < 0.05) increase of plant growth and the photosynthetic pigment contents, compared to those of control (non-treated plants). Furthermore, there was a significant improvement in antioxidant enzyme activity, such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), isocitrate dehydrogenase (ICDH), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione reductase (GR) activities in the stressed plants, especially in those treated with 12.5% of SWE. Overall, our results suggest that the application of the Ulva rigida water extract could be used as a promising plant growth biostimulant for treating wheat plants under salinity stress.

Crataegus oxyacantha Extract as a Biostimulant to Enhance Tolerance to Salinity in Tomato Plants

“…Our results agreed with those of Bacha et al (2017) [ 23 ], in which a decrease in the chlorophyll content of Solanum lycopersicum that was subjected to salinity stress was observed. The same results were also found by Latique et al (2021) [ 24 ]. The authors investigated the effect of salt stress on wheat ( Triticum Durum L. ) and the ability of Ulva rigida water extract to improve salinity tolerance in wheat ( Triticum Durum L. ).…”

“…Our study showed that the application of C. oxyacantha extract as a biostimulant enhanced antioxidant activities. The same result was obtained by Latique et al (2021) [ 24 ]. The authors claimed that Ulva rigida extract enhances the antioxidant enzyme activities of wheat under salinity stress.…”

“…The increase in chlorophyll content may be related to some of the bioactive compounds that have been identified in C. oxyacantha extract, such as glycinebetaine [ 26 ]. This component has been reported as being able to inhibit chlorophyll degradation, thus leading to a delay in the loss of photosynthetic activity during storage conditions in isolated chloroplasts [ 24 ]. Moreover, C. oxyacantha extract is rich in antioxidant molecules, which positively correlate with improvements in the production of photosynthetic pigments in wheat plants that are grown under salinity stress.…”

“…The assay of glutathione peroxidase (GPx) was measured by the spectrophotometric method of Bouchmaa et al (2018) [ 49 ]. The measurement of the glutathione S-transferase (GST) activity was carried out using the method described by Latique et al (2021) [ 24 ]. The reaction was measured at 340 nm and the concentration of products was calculated using a coefficient extinction of 9.6 mM −1 cm −1 .…”

Ameliorative effects of Sargassum stolonifolium amendment on physiological and biochemical parameters in Brassica chinensis L. under cadmium contaminated soil

“…In contrast, PC decreased in the absolute control and S. stolonifolium amended soil compared to the absolute cadmium treated groups (T1 and T5). Our finding is in line with previous research conducted on antioxidant stimulation of seaweed on wheat (Latique et al, 2021). Increased PBT, TT and GSH in S. stolonifolium amended soil may be due to the enormous number of bioactive molecules from S. stolonifolium that stimulates key enzymes for the biosynthesis of thiol containing molecules.…”