EVALUATE OF THE ADVERSE EFFECTS OF SALT STRESS ON COTTON PLANT BY SALICYLIC ACID AND POTASSIUM CITRATE

Abstract

Salinity is one of the major a biotic stresses in agriculture worldwide. This study was carried out to evaluate the effect of salicylic acid (SA) and potassium Citrate (PC) on plant growth characters, Yield and Yield components, leaf chemical constituents, enzyme activity and fiber properties of Giza 90 and Giza 86 cotton cultivars. Plants were irrigated by sea water with concentrations (12000, 8000, 4000 ppm) followed by tab water alternately while the control treatment was irrigated by tap water only. In general salt conditions significantly decreased the growth characters, yield characters, chloroplast pigments, total soluble sugars, total soluble protein, total phenols and total free amino acids while increased proline contents, total antioxidant capacity, catalase, peroxidase and superoxide dismutase. The results clearly showed that spraying cotton plants with salicylic acid (200 ppm) and potassium citrate (2.5 g/l) under salt conditions caused enhancement of growth and yield characters and increasing of pigments, total soluble sugars, proline contents, free amino acids, and antioxidant enzyme activity. On the other hand there are No significant effects with foliar application of salicylic acid and potassium citrate found on fiber properties under salt stress.