Improving growth and yield of salt-stressed soybean by exogenous application of jasmonic acid and ascobin

Abstract

The effect of phytohormone Jasmonic acid (JA) and antioxidant ascobin on growth, yield and metabolism of soybean (Glycine max L. cv. Giza 111) grown at 0, 50 and 100 mM NaCl was investigated. Growth, yield and metabolic products were most affected by 100 mM NaCl. Treatment with JA or ascobin mitigated the harmful effect of NaCl. The greatest yield (157% of control) was obtained from plants sprayed with JA, while those sprayed with ascobin and irrigated with water yielded 127% of control plants. Salinized plants (50 mM NaCI) sprayed with JA yielded 146%, while those sprayed with ascobin yielded 159% as compared with non-sprayed plants. The JA or ascobin reduced the salt effects on seed carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, N, P and K. To conclude, JA or ascobin improved salt tolerance in soybean by enhancing the accumulation of nontoxic metabolites (sugars, free proline and proteins) as well as N, P and K as a protective adaptation.