Impact of drought stress and stress modifiers on water use efficiency, membrane lipidation indices, and water relationship indices of pot marigold (Calendula officinalis L.)

Abstract

This study was conducted as a factorial layout based on completely randomized design in three replications in the 2018. The experimental factors included irrigation intervals with 4 levels (3, 6, 9, and 12 days) and drought stress modifiers at four levels (control (non-spraying), spraying with salicylic acid (2 mM), Glycine betaine (5 mM), and zinc sulfate (5 g L −1). The results indicated that the effect of different levels of drought stress and stress modifiers on yield, water use efficiency, membrane lipidation indices, and water relationship indices were significant. The highest water use efficiency based on dry yield (WUE DY) (2.33 kg m −3) and water use efficiency based on essential oil yield (WUE EOY) (0.22 kg m −3) were obtained from irrigation intervals of three days. With increasing irrigation interval from three days to 12 days, dry yield, leaf water content, WUE EOY , cellular membrane stability (CMS), membrane stability index (MSI), total chlorophyll, chlorophyll index, canopy temperature depression (CTD), and relative water content decreased. However, injury index (I), water saturation deficit (WSD), osmotic potential (OP), electrolyte leakage (EL), essential oil percentage, and leaf temperature increased significantly. It seems that at all levels of irrigation, spraying with glycine betaine compared to other modifiers was more effective in increasing WUE DY , WUE EOY , CMS, MSI, total chlorophyll and relative water content, and decrease in I and WSD and EL. Based on the findings, it can be stated that with increasing the irrigation intervals, quantitative and qualitative yields of the pot marigold plant are reduced. The application of drought stress modifiers can reduce the effects of drought stress on this plant, thereby raising WUE DY and WUE EOY .

Interactive effect of moisture restriction and salicylic acid on biochemical responses in Phaseolus coccineus

“…In this research, the foliar application of 1.5 mM of SA in P. coccineus plants, improved the RWC. Similar results were obtained in Lippia citriodora (L.) (Dianat et al, 2016), Z. mays (Farouk et al, 2018) and in Calendula officinalis (L.) (Gholinezhad, 2020).…”

“…The accumulation of osmolytes (PRO, GB, TSS) in the cytoplasm helps to maintain cellular osmotic balance in response to abiotic stress (Ozturk et al, 2020). But with hydric stress, the plant consumes many photosynthates to produce osmotic regulators and reduce stress (Gholinezhad, 2020). In this research, PRO increased with the application of SA (1.5 mM) in a condition of greater hydric stress, which was similar to that obtained in C. flexuosus (Idrees et al, 2010), in P. vulgaris (Ghanbari et al, 2013) and in H. vulgare (Abdelaal et al, 2020).…”

Comprehensive evaluation of drought stress on medicinal plants: a meta-analysis

“…For instance, Saeidnejad et al (2013) found a decrease in essential oil yield in peppermint ( Mentha piperita L.) as drought stress become more severe. Similarly, Gholinezhad (2020) observed that increasing drought stress led to a reduction in essential oil yield in pot marigold ( Calendula officinalis L.). Additionally, Musie & Radácsi (2022) reported a significant reduction in essential oil yield of Ocimum species under severe drought conditions, with a 50% loss in both fresh and dry herb yield.…”