Journal of Horticultural Science
with the collaboration of Iranian Scientific Association for Landscape (ISAL)

Evaluation of Morphophysiological and Biochemical Characteristics of Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni Treated with Proline Nanoparticles and Liquid Fish Waste Fertilizer in Salinity Stress

Document Type : Research Article

Authors

Z. Mahdavi
B. Esmailpour
R. Azarmi

Department of Horticulture, Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Ardabil, Iran

https://doi.org/10.22067/jhs.2025.94616.1446
Abstract
Introduction
Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni is plant perennial medicinal of the Asteraceae (Compositae) family. Stevia plants contain many compounds with medicinal properties, importantly steviol glycosides (e.g., stevioside and dulcoside), in the leaves and shoots that are used as natural and useful sweeteners in the food industry. These sweeteners are 30 to 400 times sweeter than glucose and sucrose and calorie-free. Salinity stress causes major constraints factor affects crop production in world. The adverse effects of salinity stress on plant growth can be related to factors e.g. induced osmotic stress and ionic imbalance. Ionic imbalance is due to high presence of sodium and chloride. There are several strategies for reduce salt effects in plants that including have been used biofertilizers, organic fertilizers and nanoparticles. Nanoparticles (NPs) as one of the most important effective methods, to reduce salinity stress condition. Proline (Pro) is one of compatible solutes and cellular protector accumulated in response to abiotic stress. Organic fertilizers reduce reduces the harmful effects of chemical fertilizer and improve the chemical, biological structure of soils, leading to increased crop yield. Fish processing waste is rich in essential proteins, macro and micronutrients that causes reduced salinity stress.

Materials and Method
Stevia seedlings were purchased from a medicinal plant greenhouse (Zargiah) in Shiraz city and planted in 12 L pots. This study was conducted in a factorial experiment and based on a completely randomized design with four replications in the spring-summer of 2022. Planting bed includes containing a mixture of cocopeat and perlite. The plants were first irrigated with half-strength Hoagland’s solution and then irrigated with full-strength nutrient solution. The first factor was salinity stress at four levels (0, 30, 60, 90 mM NaCl) and the second factor salinity reducer at five levels (control, 15 and 30 mg.L-1 glycine betaine without liquid fish waste fertilizer, 15 and 30 mg.L-1 glycine betaine with 15% (v/v) liquid fish waste fertilizer). Then growth parameters, relative water content, a* and b* color indices and total phenol, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), malondialdehyde (MDA), proline, and total carbohydrates were measured. Data were analyzed using SAS 9.1 software by analyzing the means using Duncan’s multiple range test, with a significant difference level at p < 0.05.

Results and Discussion
Salinity stress significantly decreased plant growth traits. Salinity, increased proline and total phenols, MDA, H2O2, EL compared with the control. Fish waste fertilizer with proline nanoparticles increased morphological parameters, RWC, proline, phenols, sugar, and reduced EL, MDA, and H2O2. Salinity stress caused a 39% reduction in plant height, 50.24% in root fresh weight, 70.93% in root dry weight, 46.15% in relative water content, 55.93% in a*color, 51.16% in b*color, 39.44% in proline, 71.68% total carbohydrate, 42.7% by phenol and 73.33% by hydrogen peroxide by compared to the control. The application of 20 mg.L-1 proline nanoparticles simultaneous with liquid fish waste fertilizer resulted in reduction a 31.7% by membrane electrolyte leakage, 56.66% by root sodium, and an increase of 78.23% proline, 72.98% by total carbohydrate, 71.42% root potassium, and 62.45% by root calcium under 90 mM salinity stress compared to the control treatment.

Conclusion
Results showed that salinity due to accumulation in Na+ and disruption to the absorption of essential nutrients especially N and K, negatively affected plant growth and yield and overall. Proline and fish waste bio-fertilizer with increase in potassium causes open of the stomata, increase of photosynthesis and plant growth. Application of proline especially when used at a concentration of 20 (mg.L-1) and fish waste bio-fertilizer could be considered as a sustainable, for the mitigating of salinity stress effects in stevia plants and potentially other crops.

Keywords

Growth characteristics
Organic fertilizer
Sodium chloride
Total carbohydrates
Subjects

Authors retain the copyright. This is an open access article distributed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0).

 

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Journal of Horticultural Science
Volume 40, Issue 3
Summer 2026
Pages 451-433

  • Receive Date 24 July 2025
  • Revise Date 08 October 2025
  • Accept Date 04 November 2025
  • First Publish Date 04 November 2025

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