Plant growth, Yield and Leaf Nutritional value of Jute (Corchorus olitorius L.) as Influenced by Banana Peel levels under Salt Stress conditions in Coastal region of Cameroon

Abstract

In the world, millions of hectares of cultivated land are affected by salt, making salinity a major constraint for plant production. The effects of different levels of banana peel on growth, yield, and chemical changes of jute (Corchorus olitorius L.) under salt stress were examined herein. Response of jute to applications of different levels of banana peel (5, 10, and 15 t ha-1), as well as water irrigation salinity at 50, 100, and 200 mM NaCl were evaluated under greenhouse conditions. The outcome uncovered that salinity caused significant reduction of plant growth and yield parameters, chlorophyll (at 21.6%), LRWC (at 18.9%), P (at 57.1%) and K (at 45.4%) content, while MDA content (at 351.8%), Na (at 266%), soluble proteins (70.2%), total phenolic (at 23.4%) accumulation showed an increase from 0 to 200 mM NaCl without BP application. The banana peel treatments (at 15 t ha-1 under 200 mM NaCl) diminished significantly damaging effects caused by salinity via a reduction in the Na (at 28.4%), total soluble sugars (at 17.8%), total flavonoids (at 20.1%), which enhanced number of leaves per plant (37.1%), plant height (at 19.8%), leave yield (at 41.4%), LRWC (at 12.8%), Mg (at 24.2%) and reduced the MDA content (at 20%), presenting a favorable effect in reducing the oxidative stress that emerged from salt stress. It could be concluded, that the application of 15 t ha-1 of BP was superior in promoting plant growth, yield, and nutritional quality than others under control and in the saline soils in this study. BP at 15 t ha-1 had a more reduced damage of salt stress effect on growth, yield, nutritional value, and use efficiency.