Salicylic Acid Improves Growth and Physiological Attributes and Salt Tolerance Differentially in Two Bread Wheat Cultivars

Abstract

Abiotic constraints such as salinity stress reduce cereal production. Salicylic acid is an elicitor of abiotic stress tolerance in plants. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of salicylic acid on two bread wheat cultivars (SST806 and PAN3497) grown under salt stress (100 and 200 mM NaCl) in the presence and absence of 0.5 mM salicylic acid. The highest salt concentration (200 mM), in both PAN3497 and SST806, increased the days to germination and reduced the coleoptile and radicle dry weights. The shoot dry weight was reduced by 75 and 39%, root dry weight by 73 and 37%, spike number of both by 50%, spike weight by 73 and 54%, grain number by 62 and 15%, grain weight per spike by 80 and 45%, and 1000 grain weight by 9 and 29% for 200 and 100 mM NaCl, respectively. Salicylic acid in combination with 100 mM and 200 mM NaCl increased the shoot, root, and yield attributes. Salicylic acid increased the grain protein content, especially at 200 mM NaCl, and the increase was higher in SST806 than PAN3497. The macro-mineral concentration was markedly increased by an increase of NaCl. This was further increased by salicylic acid treatment for both SST806 and PAN3497. Regarding micro-minerals, Na was increased more than the other minerals in both cultivars. Mn, Zn, Fe, and Cu were increased under 100 mM and 200 Mm of salt, and salicylic acid application increased these elements further in both cultivars. These results suggested that salicylic acid application improved the salt tolerance of these two bread wheat cultivars.

Plant Hormone Modularity and the Survival-Reproduction Trade-Off

“…SA treatments have been shown to enhance grain yield in crops facing heightened stress conditions [ 88 , 89 ]. However, to understand SA’s effects on reproduction under optimal growth conditions, we need to investigate the consequences of SA deficiency on plant growth and reproduction.…”

“…The positive effects of SA on reproduction assurance are linked to its role in stress tolerance. The treatment of stressed plants with SA has been shown to enhance their ability to withstand stress, thereby ensuring a certain level of reproduction [ 88 , 89 , 93 ]. Notably, SA plays a crucial role in promoting tolerance to various abiotic stresses, including drought, salt, osmotic, and temperature stresses [ 88 , 89 ].…”

“…The treatment of stressed plants with SA has been shown to enhance their ability to withstand stress, thereby ensuring a certain level of reproduction [ 88 , 89 , 93 ]. Notably, SA plays a crucial role in promoting tolerance to various abiotic stresses, including drought, salt, osmotic, and temperature stresses [ 88 , 89 ]. Additionally, SA is involved in plant defense against pathogens and contributes to immune responses [ 49 ].…”

“…Additionally, SA is involved in plant defense against pathogens and contributes to immune responses [ 49 ]. It is worth mentioning that SA biosynthesis is significantly induced during pathogen infections and under various abiotic stress conditions [ 88 , 89 , 93 ].…”

Zn Fertilizer and Mycorrhizal Inoculation Effect on Bread Wheat Cultivar Grown under Water Deficit

“…Several physiological and biochemical alterations are induced by drought, causing plants to have many adaptation strategies as defensive survival mechanisms against drought stress. It was reported that different strategies could be followed to reduce food production decreases due to drought in the future [ 8 , 9 ]. The development of drought tolerance mechanisms in food crops is one such strategy.…”