Document Type : Research Article

Authors

Ferdowsi University of Mashhad

Abstract

Introduction: Nigella sativa L. is one of the herbs that has a variety of uses and has been used in Iran’s traditional medicine since old times. Today this plant is considered as one of the most important kinds of medicine. Almost all the metabolic activities of plant cells, including the construction of active ingredients in medicinal plants, depend on lack of absorbable water by plants can lead to the morphological, physiological and biochemical changes, including decrease of cell swelling and growth and thus reduction of leaf area and plant height, stomatal closure and photosynthesis restriction, increase of soluble compounds for regulating the osmotic pressure, reduction of nutrient absorption and ultimately reduction of crop production. The use of anti-transpiration compounds is considered as a promising tool for the regulation of transpiration in respect of water conservation at an optimal level, where the strategies such as the use of anti-transpiration compounds have the potential for transpiration regulation. The aim of the present study is to improve the yield and yield components of medicinal plant N. sativa by anti-transpiration compounds under drought stress conditions.
Materials and Methods: The research was done using a split plot experiment on a randomized complete block design with three replications. The irrigation intervals (8 and 16 days) in main plots and anti-transpiration compounds of chitosan (0.25, 0.5 and 1 %), Plantago psyllium mucilage (0.5, 1 and 1.5 %) and arabic gum (0.25, 0.5 and 0.75 %) were put in subplots with three replications. Also, the distance between the main plots in each block and distance between the two blocks were assigned as 100 cm and 200 cm, respectively; so that the moisture content of a plot had no effect on the adjacent plots. Planting date was April 16 and planting was performed by hand in 0.5cm-deep furrows. Anti-transpiration compounds were sprayed simultaneously with applying drought stress till the flowering stage once a week at sunset. Plant height, leaf area index, irrigation water efficiency index, leaf temperature and stomatal conductance were measured.
Results and Discussion: The results showed that there were significant differences between treatments in all studied traits. The best rate of the measured traits was observed at 8-day irrigation interval and chitosan treatment. Providing plant favorite conditions such as reducing plant temperature, increasing morphological traits comparing to rainfed at 16-day irrigation interval. Applying arabic gum did not improve growth but acted as a growth inhibitor. Anti-transpiration compounds led to significant changes in all the studied traits compared to the control, indicating the effectiveness of these natural compounds. Chitosan stimulating abscisic acid synthesis in the treated plant would result in stomatal closure, reduction of stomatal conductance, transpiration rate and water content. It also pointed out that the anti-transpiration effect of chitosan was because of its stimulatory effect in increasing abscisic acid concentration in the treated leaves of bean plant. As the above compounds are natural and biodegradable, as well as safer and less expensive than other chemical anti-transpiration compounds, they can serve as a good alternative to the chemical compounds. Cognition and expertise in water relations of plant and drought stress tolerance is considered as the main program in agriculture and the ability to withstand this stress is of great economic importance.
Conclusion: The important processes, including nutrition, photosynthes is, stomatal opening and closure and growth are all influenced by water. In this study, it was observed canopy temperature and stomatal conductance would increase at 16-day irrigation interval, where the increase is considered as a drought tolerance mechanism. Also, the anti-transpiration compounds led to significant changes in terms of all the studied traits compared to the control, indicating the effectiveness of theses natural compounds. Providing the appropriate conditions, 1% chitosan treatment can enhance the yield under drought stress. Spraying by arabic gum did not improve the growth conditions. According to this experiment, 1% chitosan treatment and 1.5% Plantago psyllium mucilage is considered the most appropriate strategy to enhance the yield of Nigella sativa under drought stress.

Keywords

1- Bagheri H., Andalibi B., and Azimimoghaddam M.R. 2010. Effect of atrazine anti transpiration application on improving physiological traits, yield and yield components of safflower under rainfed condition. Journal of Crops Improvement, 14(2): 1-16. (In Persian with English abstract)
2- Bannayan M., Nadjafi F., Azizi M., Tabrizi L., and Rastgoo M. 2008. Yield and seed quality of Plantago ovata and Nigella sativa under different irrigation treatments. Industrial Crops and Products, 27: 11-16.
3- Babaeei K., Aminidehaghi M., Modaressanav S.A.M., and Jabbari R. 2010.Water deficit effect on morphology, prolin content and thymol percentage of Thyme (Thymus vulgaris L.). Journal of Medicinal Plants Research, 26: 239-251. (In Persian with English abstract)
4- BettaiebI., Zakhama N., Aidi Wannes W., Kchouk M.E., and Marzouk B. 2009. Water deficit effects on Salvia officinalis fatty acids and essential oils composition. Scientia Horticulturae, 120(2): 271-275.
5- Bahreininejad J., Razmjoo M., and Mirza N. 2013. Influence of water stress on morpho-physiological and phytochemical traits in Thymus daenensis. Journal of Plant Production, 7(1): 1735-6814.
6- Bittelli M., Flury M., Campbell G.S., and Nichols E.J. 2001. Reduction of transpiration through foliar Application of chitosan. Agricultural and Forest Meteorology, 107: 167–175.
7- Chaves M.M., Flexas J., and Pinheiro C. 2009. Photosynthesis under drought and salt stress: regulation mechanisms from whole plant to cell. Annals of Botany-London. 103: 551-560.
8- Davazdahemami S., and Majnoonhosseini N. 2008. Cultivation and production of some medicinal and spice plants. Tehran University Press. 300 pages.
9- Del Amora F.M., Cuadra-Crespoa P., Walkera D. J., Camarab J.M., and Madridc R. 2010. Effect of foliar application of antitranspirant on photosynthesis and water relations of pepper plants under different. Levels of CO2 and water stress. Journal of Plant Physiology, 167: 1232-1238.
10- El-Mekawy M.A.M. 2012. Growth and Yield of (Nigella sativa L). Plant Influenced by Sowing Date and Irrigation Treatments. Journal of Agriculture and Environ. Research, 12(4): 499-505.
11- Flexas J., Escalona J.M., Evain S., Gulisa j., Moya I., Osmond C.B., and medran H. 2002. Steady-state chlorophyll fluorescence (Fs) measurements as a tool to follow variations of net CO2 assimilation and stomatal conductance during water-stress in C3 plants. Journal of Physiologia Plantarum, 114(2): 231-240.
12- Gornik K., Grzesik M., and Dud R. 2008.The effect of chitosan on rooting of grapevine growth under drought and temperature stress. Journal of Fruit and Ornamental Plant Research, 16: 333-343.
13- Ghamarnia H., and Jalili Z. 2013. Water stress effects on different Black cumin (Nigella sativa L.) components in a semi-arid region. Journal of Agronomy and Plant Production, 4(3): 545-554.
14- Ghamarnia H., Gholamian M., Sepehri S., Arji I., and Rezvani V. 2012. Groundwater contribution by Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) under high salinity, different water table levels, with and without irrigation. Journal of Irrigation and Drainage Engineering, 41: 1211-1218.
15- Ghamarnia H., Jalili Z., and Daichin S. 2012. The effects of saline irrigation water on different components of Black cumin (Nigella sativa L.). International Journal of AgriScience, 2(10): 915-922.
16- Glenn D.M., and Puterka G.J. 2005. Particle films: A new technology for agriculture. Horticultural Review American Society for Horticultural Science, 31: 1-44.
17- Ghamarnia H., Khosravy H., and Sepehri S. 2011. Yield and water use efficiency of (Nigella sativa L.) under different irrigation treatments in a semiarid region in the West of Iran. Journal of Medicinal Plants Research, 4(16): 1612-1616.
18- Ghorbanli M., Bakhshi G.R., Salimi S., and Hedayati M. 2011. Effect of Water deficit and its intraction with ascorbat, catalase and glutathione peroxidase amounts in Nigella sativa. Journal of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants, 26(4): 466-476. (In Persian with English abstract)
19- Goreta S., Leskovar D.I., and Jifon J.L. 2007. Gasexchange, water status, and growth of pepper seedling sexposed to transient water deficit stress are differentially altered by antitranspirants. AmericanSociety Horticulture Science. 132: 603-610.
20- Iiriti M., Picchi V., Rossoni M., Gomarasca S., Ludwig N., Garganoand M., and Faoro F. 2009. Chitosan antitranspirant activity is due to abscisic acid-dependent stomatal closure. Environmental and Experimentan Botany, 66: 493-500.
21- Istanbulluoglu A., Arslan B., Gocmen E., Gezer E., and Pasa C. 2010. Effects of deficit irrigation regimes on the yield and growth of oil seed rape (Brassica napus L.). Original Research Article Biosystems Engineering, 105(3): 388-394.
22- Jifon J.L., and Syvertsen J.P. 2003. Kaolin particle film applications can increase photosynthesis and water use efficiency of "Ruby Red" grapefruit leaves. American Society for Horticultural Science, 128: 107-112.
23- Klepper B., and Rickman R.W. 1990. Modeling crop root growth and function. Advances in Agronomy, 44: 113-132.
24- Kazempour S., and Tagbakhsh M. 2002. Effect of some antitranspiration on vegetive Characteristics, yield and yield parameters of corn under limited irrigation. Journal of Agronomy Crop Science, 32(2): 205-211. (In Persian with English abstract)
25- Karuppaiah P., Rameshkumar S., Shah K., and Marimuthu R. 2003. Effect of Antitranspirants on growth, photosynthetic rate and yield characters of brinjal. Indian Journal of Plant Physiology, 8: 189-192.
26- Koutroubas S.D., Papakosta D.K., and Doitsinis A. 2000. Water requirements for castor oil crop (Ricinus communis L.) in a Mediterranean climate. Journal of Agronomy Crop Science, 184: 33-41.
27- Khalil S.E., Nahed G., Aziz A.E., and AbouLeil B.H. 2010. Effect of water stress and ascorbic acid on some morphological and biochemical composition of Ocimum basilicum plant. Journal of American Science, 6: 33-44.
28- Khalid A., Khalid A., Teixeira S., and Weiming C. 2010. Water deficit and polyethylene glycol 6000 affects morphological and biochemical characters of Pelargonium odoratissimum L. Scientia Horticulturae, 125: 159–166.
29- Khoram Del S., Kuchaki A., Nasiri Mahalati M., and Ghorbani R. 2008. Effect of biofertilizers on growth indices of black cumin. Journal Agricultural Research, 6(2): 294-285.
30- Ludwig N., Cabrini R., Faoro F., Gargano M., Gomarasca S., Iriti M., Picchi V., and Soave C. 2010. Reduction of evaporative flux in bean leaves due to chitosan treatment assessed by infrared thermogragh. Infrared Physics and Technology, 53: 65-70.
31- Moftah A.E., and Alhumaid A.I. 2005. Effects of antitranspirants on water relations and photosynthetic rate of cultivated tropical plant Polianthes tuberose L. Polish Journal of Ecology, 53(2): 165-175.
32- Nabipour M., Meskarbashee M., and Yosefpour H. 2007. The Effect of water deficit on yield and yield components of safflower (Carthamus tinctorrius L.). Journal of Biological Sciences, 10: 421-426.
33- Peter E., Andreas D., Peuke B., and Siegfried F. 2008. Transpiration, CO2 assimilation, WUE, and stomatal aperture in leaves of (Viscum album L.): Effect of abscisic acid (ABA in the xylem sap of its host (Populus x euamericana). Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, 46: 64-70.
34- Safikhani F., sharifabadi H., Syadat A., Ashorabadi A., Syednedjad M., and Abbaszadeh B. 2007. The effect of drought on yield and morphologic characteristics Deracocephalum moldvica L. Journal of Medicinal Plants Research, 23(2), 183-194. (In Persian with English abstract)
35- Sinaki J. M., Majidi E., Shirani Rad A. L., Noormohammadi G., and Zarei G. 2007. The effected of water deficit during growth stage of canola (Brassica napus L.). American Journal of Agriculture on Environment Science, 2(4): 417-422.
36- Turner N.C. 1986. Adaptation to water deficits: Achanging perspective. Australian Journal of Plant Physiology, 13: 175-190.
37- Thakuria R.K., Singh H., and Singh T. 2004. Effect ofirrigation and antitranspirant on biometric components, seed yield and plant water-use of spring sunflower (Helianthus annuus). Indian Journal of Agronomy, 49: 121-123.
CAPTCHA Image